With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to affect physicians and the Public Health Emergency not set to expire until May, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recognizes  that many medical practices will not be able to participate in MIPS. Therefore, in spring 2023, CMS will open an application that physicians can submit to apply for a MIPS Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances waiver. If approved, this waiver will allow physicians to reweight one or more MIPS performance categories due to the COVID-19 PHE.

While approval is not automatic or guaranteed, such an exemption could potentially save affected practices from a 9% Medicare cut due to the penalties imposed by MIPS.

Physicians can subscribe to the QPP listserv  to receive updates and announcements from CMS. In addition, physicians who have questions can contact CMS at (866) 288-8292, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (EDT) or by email at QPP@cms.hhs.gov. The FMA will also keep our members updated as additional information becomes available.