HSAG engages providers at all levels of performance for collaborative learning and action that accelerate healthcare quality improvement. Use the resources below to better understand and successfully implement the Quality Payment Program (QPP).
- Business Continuity Plan (fillable PDF)
- Telehealth Implementation & Workflow Tips During the COVID-19 Emergency (PDF)
- QPP COVID-19 Response (PDF)
American Medical Association (AMA)
- COVID-19 Resource Center for Physicians with resources to help prepare your practice, address patient concerns, and answer your most pressing questions. Download and share this two-page brief, AMA’s Physician’s Guide to COVID-19, with your staff.
Other COVID-related Links
For additional COVID-related resources from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Association for Profesionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA), visit the HSAG COVID-19 webpage.
Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Overview
- 2021 MIPS Overview (newly published)
- 2021 MIPS Eligibility Decision Tree
- Comparison of MIPS Year 4 (2020) and Year 5 (2021) Requirements (newly published)
- Comparison of MIPS Year 3 (2019) and Year 4 (2020) Requirements
- Impact of MIPS Participation on Medicare Reimbursements
- No-EHR MIPS Action Plan (newly published)
- 2021 Quality Payment Program Final Rule FAQs
Participation in MIPS
2021
- Anesthesiology and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists
- Cardiology
- Chiropractic Medicine
- Dermatology
- Emergency Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Family Medicine
- Gastroenterology
- General Surgery
- Infectious Disease
- Mental/Behavioral Health
- Nephrology
- Nurse Practitioners
- Nutrition and Dietician Professionals
- Ophthalmology
- Optometry
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Pain Management
- Pathology
- Physical Medicine
- Physical and Occupational Therapy
- Podiatry
- Pulmonology
- Radiology
- Rheumatology
- Skilled Nursing Facility
- Speech and Language Pathology
- Urology
HSAG encourages your use of the following resources to help guide your understanding of Promoting Interoperability (PI) (formerly known as ACI).
- A Guide for 2021 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) & Your Electronic Health Record (EHR) System
- 2021 Promoting Interoperability Quick Start Guide
- 2021 Promoting Interoperability Measure Specifications (ZIP)
- Security and Risk Assessment Webinar (February 22, 2019)
- Provider EHR Complaint Process
HSAG has assembled helpful Improvement Activity (IA)-based resources and tools to assist you.
- 2021 Improvement Activities Quick Start Guide
- 2021 Improvement Activities Inventory (ZIP)
- Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) Training and Technical Assistance Center—Obtain PDMP-related information, including where to find your PDMP by state.
From time to time, resources are from CMS and are updated and posted regularly as new updates come online.
QPP and Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)
- What is the Quality Payment Program? (2:30)
- How to Access Performance Feedback for Individuals —2018 (9:00)
- How to Access Performance Feedback for Voluntary Submitters —2018 (3:45)
- 2021 Quality Payment Program Final Rule Overview—2021 (1:28)
APMs
- MIPS APMs (Online course from Medicare Learning Network, offering .5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits)
- What are the criteria for APMs? (13:00)
- What is a Qualifying APM Participant? (13:45)
- How to Access Performance Feedback for APM Entities —2018 (7:00)
Creating a HARP Account for QPP
(HARP = Healthcare Quality Information System [HCQIS] Access Roles and Profile)
HSAG has gathered relevant QPP materials and tools into one place. In addition, download a handy graphic icon for conversion into a desktop widget by following easy step-by-step instructions. To get started, review these essential tools for your state:
- Health Care Quality Information Systems (HCQIS) Roles and Profile (HARP) Account Reminders (PDF)
- MIPS Submission Tips (PDF)
MIPS Data Validation and Audit Resources
HSAG offers this resource to assist clinicians and practices in collecting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) QPP documentation, making it readily available if selected for an audit. The entity must retain all data submitted to CMS for purposes of the MIPS for six years from the end of the MIPS performance period.
Other Helpful Resources
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have assembled QPP-related resources at https://qpp.cms.gov/about/resource-library.
Be sure to visit these CMS resources:
- 2021 Qualified Registries Qualified Posting (XLSX)
- 2021 Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) Measure Specifications (XLSX)
- Quality Payment Program COVID-19 Response
- Update the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES)
- Update Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS)
Electronic Health Record (EHR) Vendor
Alternative Payment Models (APMs)
- APM Performance Pathway (APP) Decision Tree
- 2020 and 2021 Comprehensive List of APMs
- 2021 Qualifying APM Participant (QP) Quick Start Guide
- 2021 APM Performance Pathway (APP) for MIPS APM Participants
- 2021 APM Performance Pathway (APP) Infographic
- 2021 Qualifying APM Participant (QP) Quick Start Guide
MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs)
CMS have finalized the MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs), a participation framework that would begin with the 2022 performance period. Review the information below to learn more about the MVPs framework, and how it will help to improve the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and make the program more meaningful to clinicians and patients.
