In the recently passed Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, Congress made several industry-sought changes to the MIPS value-based reimbursement program that should, it’s hoped, give providers paperwork relief and much-needed financial breathing room over the next several years.

Essentially, Congress will allow CMS to incentivize more gradual change within the healthcare delivery system. Among the changes, which immediately went into effect:

• The MIPS transition period has been extended from its originally targeted end in 2019 to 2022
• During the transition years, the cost category weight can now lie between 10% – 30%, subject to CMS’s determinations, instead of transitioning instantly from 10% in 2018 to 30% in 2019
• The MIPS performance threshold was raised from 3% to 15%
• The total weight of the Quality & Cost categories must now equal 60% of the total score
• New virtual groups were created for reporting MIPS, providing bonus points for small practices and treating complex patients

Get the details here, from MGMA.