If you’ve missed specific registration deadlines for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) 2024 performance year, such as those for the CAHPS for MIPS Survey or MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs), don’t worry! You can still participate in MIPS Medicare and improve your MIPS score by following specific steps and strategies. You can participate through traditional reporting methods. Here’s a guide on how you can still take part, meet reporting requirements, and avoid penalties in MIPS 2024.

What is MIPS for Medicare?

MIPS Medicare, short for the medical abbreviation Merit-based Incentive Payment System, is part of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) and helps providers earn payment adjustments based on performance. It is a Medicare program that evaluates and reimburses providers across four performance categories:

1. Quality Measures MIPS: Measures how well you deliver care to patients. Here you have to report on six quality measures.
2. Promoting Interoperability: Focuses on using certified EHR technology effectively. Note that the minimum reporting period for this category is now 180 continuous days.
3. Improvement Activities: Assesses your efforts to improve care processes and outcomes. This inventory includes 106 activities for 2024.
4. Cost: Evaluate the total cost of care provided. This category is assessed automatically by CMS based on your Medicare claims; no separate submission is required.

Each category contributes to your final MIPS Medicare score, which determines whether you receive positive, neutral, or negative payment adjustments.

What Is Traditional MIPS Reporting?

If you missed the registration deadlines for options like MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) or the CAHPS for MIPS Survey, you can still participate through Traditional MIPS Medicare Reporting. What you have to do is:

• Collect data during the performance year (January 1 – December 31, 2024).
• Submit your performance data by the 31 March 2025 deadline.
• If your MIPS score meets or exceeds the performance threshold (75 points for 2024), you can still qualify for positive payment adjustments.

MIPS payment adjustments are based on your final MIPS score. Missing certain deadlines may limit reporting options, potentially affecting your score and reimbursement potential. However, completing required submissions through available mechanisms (like registries or EHR systems) ensures you remain in the program and are eligible for positive adjustments.

Which Performance Categories Are Required for Traditional MIPS Reporting?

In the traditional MIPS reporting method*, providers need to collect and submit data across four performance categories. Here’s what data is required for each category:

1. Quality

This is the largest category in traditional MIPS reporting, requiring data on measures that assess the quality of care provided.

• Required Data:
  • Report on six quality measures, including at least one outcome measure or a high-priority measure (if no outcome measure is applicable).
  • Examples of quality measures include patient satisfaction, preventive care, and chronic disease management.
  • Providers must report on at least 75% of eligible cases for each measure.
• Collection Methods:
  • Claims-based reporting (for small practices).
  • EHR or Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR).
  • Qualified Registry.

2. Promoting Interoperability (PI)

This is all about how to use approved electronic health record technology to get patients more involved and share more data.

• Required Data:
  • Patient access to their health records.
  • Electronic prescribing.
  • Health information exchange (e.g., referral summaries).
  • Public health and clinical data exchange.
• Additional Requirements:
  • A Security Risk Analysis is mandatory.
  • Reporting period: At least 180 continuous days in 2024.
  • In case you change your EHR, all your data must be available in your current/new EHR.
  • If you are submitting data for a group practice in a group form, then all the practitioners’ EHR data would be in one file. 
• Collection Methods:
  • EHR technology that meets 2015 Cures Edition certification requirements.

3. Improvement Activities

This category evaluates the practice’s efforts to improve clinical processes and patient outcomes.

• Required Data:
  • Providers must attest to completing activities from the Improvement Activities Inventory (106 activities in 2024).
  • Small practices must complete 1 high-weighted activity or 2 medium-weighted activities.
  • Larger practices must complete 2 high-weighted activities or 4 medium-weighted activities.
• Examples of Activities:
  • Expanding patient access to care.
  • Using telehealth.
  • Engaging in care coordination or patient safety initiatives.
• Collection Methods:
  • Attestation via the QPP portal, registries, or EHR systems.

4. Cost

This category evaluates the total cost of care for Medicare patients.

• Required Data:
  • Providers do not need to submit any data directly for this category.
  • CMS calculates the score automatically using Medicare claims data.
  • Cost measures include total per capita cost and episode-based measures.

Summary of Required Data

Category	Data to Collect	Submission Method
Quality	Data on 6 quality measures (including 1 outcome or high-priority measure).	Claims, registry, QCDR, EHR.
Promoting Interoperability	EHR use, patient engagement, data exchange, and public health reporting.	Certified EHR technology.
Improvement Activities	Evidence of completed improvement activities (e.g., telehealth, care coordination).	Attestation via portal, registry, EHR.
Cost	No submission needed (calculated by CMS using Medicare claims data).	Automatic via Medicare claims.

Use tools like qpp.cms.gov to review and select the most relevant quality measures for MIPS 2024.

What Are the Options to Participate in MIPS Medicare 2024 After Deadlines?

While some registration-based options like MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) or the CAHPS for MIPS Survey require early sign-ups until December 2, 2024, there are still ways to engage in MIPS Medicare through traditional MIPS reporting. Here’s how:

1. Submit Data Through Traditional MIPS Reporting

• You can still collect performance data for categories like Quality, Improvement Activities, and Promoting Interoperability.
• The MIPS measures 2024 allow you to report manually or via an MIPS registry, qualified clinical data registry (QCDR), or EHR systems.
• Final submission of data is due by March 31, 2025.
• If your MIPS score meets or exceeds the performance threshold (75 points for 2024), you can still qualify for positive payment adjustments.

3. Seek Professional Help with MIPS Consulting Services

• Missing the registration deadline doesn’t mean you can’t achieve success. Consider hiring MIPS 2024 consulting services to guide you through the process.
• For MIPS Medicare 2024, consultants can help find the right measures, collect data, and make sure that reports are correct.

4. Join a MIPS Registry Approved by CMS

• This is a third-party MIPS service that has been approved by CMS and can handle your MIPS reports.
• Registries make the process easier by gathering and sending in your data, making sure you meet the standards of MIPS Medicare.

5. Review Low-Volume Threshold Exemptions

• Not sure if you’re eligible? Check the low-volume threshold criteria:
  • Bill more than $90,000 for Medicare Part B services.
  • Provide care to more than 200 Medicare patients.
  • Perform more than 200 covered services.
• If you don’t meet these, you may be exempt from participation.

Benefits of Participating in MIPS 2024

Even if you’re joining late, participating in MIPS offers numerous benefits:

• Avoid Penalties: A poor or missing MIPS score can lead to negative payment adjustments of up to -9%.
• Earn Incentives: High performers can earn positive adjustments, including a bonus up to 9% for exceptional performance.
• Improve Care Quality: Reporting on MIPS quality measures helps refine care processes, benefiting patients and providers alike.

Common Challenges in MIPS 2024 Registration and How to Overcome Them?

Challenge: Understanding the wide array of MIPS measures 2024
Solution: Focus on measures that align with your specialty and patient population.

Challenge: Meeting the complex MIPS Medicare reporting requirements
Solution: Leverage MIPS services or MIPS registries to simplify the process.

Challenge: Keeping yourself aware and meeting deadlines for data submission
Solution: Stay proactive with tools like the QPP MIPS portal and reminders for submission timelines or outsource MIPS reporting services.

How Transcure’s MIPS Consulting Services Can Help?

If you’re feeling overawed, our MIPS services 2024 can assist you throughout the data collection and reporting process. We offer tailored assistance, including:

• Identifying and selecting appropriate quality measures for MIPS.
• Streamlining the reporting process through EHR integration or registries.
• Maximizing your MIPS score for better payment adjustments.

Partnering with our experts ensures you stay compliant and optimize your participation in MIPS Medicare 2024.

Conclusion: Don’t Miss Out on the MIPS Benefits Register Today!

Even if you missed early deadlines, you can still participate in MIPS Medicare by focusing on traditional reporting and leveraging tools like registries and MIPS consulting services. Late participation can help you avoid penalties, boost incentives, and improve care quality. Start now to make the most of the MIPS program for 2024.

For more information, visit the official QPP CMS site or connect with experienced MIPS consulting services by Transcure to guide you through the process. Don’t let missed deadlines hold you back—take action today!

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