The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), along with 40 other medical organizations, is asking the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to shorten the required reporting period for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) to no more than 90 days.
In an April 20 letter sent to CMS Administrator Seema Verma, the group made the request "due to a lack of timely and direct notification by CMS on whether a physician is considered MIPS-eligible, as well as a severe delay by CMS in updating the Quality Payment Program (QPP) interactive website with 2018 information."
Despite being held accountable for data tracking and collection as of January 1 of this year, physicians were not informed of basic eligibility information until this month, according to the group.
"While we recognize that CMS posted eligibility information on the QPP website on April 6, 2018, we are concerned with physicians' ability to satisfactorily participate in the MIPS program due to the late notification," it wrote.
The reporting period needs to be adjusted, according to ASTRO.
"We urge CMS to alter the MIPS quality reporting period from 365 days to a minimum of 90 days," it said. "We also believe a minimum 90-day reporting period is consistent with CMS' efforts to reduce clinician burden and to put patients over paperwork."
