CMS Gives Reporting Relief to Providers

Responding to requests from providers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on March 22, 2020, that it was providing reporting relief for clinicians, providers, hospitals and facilities participating in quality reporting programs during the fourth quarter of 2019.

Reducing Data Collection and Reporting Burden

The agency stated it knows that quality measure data collection and reporting for services during this period may not accurately reflect the true level of performance on measures such as cost, readmissions and patient experience. It will hold organizations harmless for not submitting data during this period.

The agency also said it will not use any quality data on services from January 1 through June 30 of this year in the agency’s calculations for quality reporting and value-based purchasing programs.

“This is being done to reduce the data collection and reporting burden on providers responding to the Covid-19 pandemic,” stated the agency press release.

Extended Deadlines

Specifically, CMS extended the deadline for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) to submit 2019 data. The original deadline was March 31, but they now have until April 30 to submit quality data from 2019.

However, CMS said it is still evaluating its options for “providing relief around participation and data submission for 2020” for the MIPS and MSSP programs.

The agency said that MIPS-eligible physicians who haven’t submitted any data for the program by April 30 will still qualify for relief and get a “neutral payment adjustment for the 2021 MIPS payment year.”

Hospitals won’t need to submit data from January 1 until June 30, 2020 for programs targeting kidney disease and hospital-acquired conditions. Post-acute care programs such as the hospice and home health quality reporting programs and the long-term hospital quality program are also included in the relief. However, there is no mention of the application deadline for the direct contracting program for ACOs.

“CMS’ decision to offer relief from the reporting demands in the Quality Payment Program will be felt immediately,” said Patrice Harris, M.D., president of the American Medical Association, in a statement. “Doctors don’t have much time to breathe a sigh of relief, but if they did, they would take a moment to thank CMS for this wise decision.”

Additional Options Considered

The agency said it will continue monitoring the developing COVID-19 situation and “assess options to bring additional relief to clinicians, facilities, and their staff so they can focus on caring for patients.”

To read the official CMA announcement, click here.

To keep up with government action in response to COVID-19, please visit www.coronavirus.gov. For a complete and updated list of CMS actions, and other information specific to CMS, please visit the Current Emergencies Website.