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The Future of MIPS Reporting: MIPS Value Pathways

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02 Mar

The Future of MIPS Reporting: MIPS Value Pathways

The Future of MIPS Reporting: MIPS Value Pathways

To improve quality and decrease costs in American healthcare, CMS has introduced a new program to enhance the future of MIPS reporting. MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) are a subset of the measures and activities from traditional MIPS, aimed at streamlining the program and reducing the burden on providers and practices. MVPs build on a foundation of population health, increasing connectivity between specialties while keeping the patient at the center of quality and care. Though the MVP program does not launch until 2023, staying current with these changes is essential for any practice involved in the future of MIPS reporting.

Is the MVP Program Required?

No, the program is voluntary for the performance years 2023-2027. It may become mandatory in 2028, when they may sunset the traditional MIPS program, but CMS has denied this.

Who can participate?

From 2023-2025, participants are defined as:

  • Individual clinicians
  • Single specialty groups
  • Multispecialty groups
  • Subgroups
  • APM entities

* Remember that multispecialty groups will be required to report via subgroups beginning in 2026.*

When does MVP registration occur?

Participants must register between April 1st and November 30th of the performance year.

Once it is past November 30th, a participant cannot change the MVP they select or report on an MVP they did not register for.

What MVPs are available to choose from?

As of now, CMS has released 7 MVPs that participants can register for in performance year 2023:

  • Rheumatology (Advancing Rheumatology Patient Care)
  • Stroke Care and Prevention (Coordinating Stroke Care To Promote Prevention and Cultivate Positive Outcomes)
  • Heart Disease (Advancing Care for Heart Disease)
  • Chronic Disease Management (Optimizing Chronic Disease Management)
  • Emergency Medicine (adopting Best Practices and Promoting Patient Safety within Emergency Medicine)
  • Lower Extremity Joint Repair (Improving Care for Lower Extremity Joint Repair)
  • Anesthesia (Support of Positive Experiences with Anesthesia)

What are the reporting requirements?

Quality

  • Participants must select four quality measures, one of which must be an outcome measure (or high priority if there is no applicable outcome).

Improvement Activities

  • Participants will need to select two medium-weighted activities or one highly-weighted activity or participate in a certified/recognized patient-centered medical home (PCMH) or a comparable specialty practice.

Cost

  • CMS will calculate this category score based on the measures included in the MVP.

Population Health Measures

  • Part of the foundational layer of MVPs along with Promoting Interoperability.
  • Participants must select one population health measure for calculation.
  • CMS will add this score to the quality score.

Promoting Interoperability

  • Part of the foundational layer of MVPs along with Population Health Measures.
  • Participants will be reporting the same measures as under traditional MIPS.

How are the MVPs scored?

CMS scores MVPs similarly to traditional MIPS and aligns reweighting policies with traditional MIPS guidelines.

Practices that prepare for the MVP program will position themselves to succeed in the future of MIPS reporting, adapting to changes that streamline processes and focus on quality care.