(Press Release)
In formal comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) proposed rule, the American Optometric Association expressed the need for greater simplification and flexibility to ensure the merit-based incentive payment system (MIPS) is a tool for quality improvement, rather than another regulatory hurdle for doctors.
AOA’s comments note concerns for potentially disruptive, burdensome or unwieldy policies, support greater flexibility, and reinforce optometry’s access to patients.
To read more about the positions AOA took and the importance of participation in AOA MORE (Measures and Outcomes Registry for Eyecare), click here.
CMS intends to begin requiring MIPS reporting in 2017 with payments based on performance beginning in 2019. The potential maximum incentive or penalty will increase each year from 2019 to 2022 and will cap at 9 percent in 2022 and going forward. Top performers may be rewarded with incentives above the maximum set rate.
Beyond this comment letter, AOA will continue its advocacy for greater simplicity and flexibility in MIPS, including the push for more regulatory reform, guidance and legislation that will help members not only avoid penalties and earn higher payments, but also improve the quality and efficiency of their practices. As CMS finalizes the proposed rules, AOA will begin a campaign to inform members of the MIPS requirements and how those requirements specifically impact optometry.