Uncontrollable Circumstances for MIPS

New 2020 Events Added to Automatic Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances for MIPS

Important Information Regarding MIPS Eligible Clinicians Affected by Hurricane Laura and the California and Oregon Wildfires

In response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designation of Hurricane Laura and the California and Oregon wildfires as national disasters, CMS has determined that the automatic extreme and uncontrollable circumstances policy will be applied to Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians in FEMA-identified areas under sections PA-A and PA-B in Louisiana,  California, and Oregon.

MIPS eligible clinicians in these areas in 2020 will be automatically identified and receive a neutral payment adjustment for the 2022 MIPS payment year. During the data submission period for the 2020 performance year (January 4, 2021 to March 31, 2021), all 4 performance categories for these clinicians will be weighted at 0%, resulting in a score equal to the performance threshold.

However, if MIPS eligible clinicians in these areas choose to submit data on 2 or more performance categories, they will be scored on those categories and receive a 2022 MIPS payment adjustment based on their 2020 MIPS Final Score.

The automatic extreme and uncontrollable circumstances policy will not apply to MIPS eligible clinicians in MIPS Alternative Payment Models (APMs) who are subject to the APM Scoring Standard for the 2020 performance year, or to those participating in MIPS as groups or virtual groups.

For More Information

Questions?

Contact the Quality Payment Program at 1-866-288-8292 or by e-mail at: QPP@cms.hhs.gov.

To receive assistance more quickly, please consider calling during non-peak hours—before 10:00 a.m. and after 2:00 p.m. ET.

  • Customers who are hearing impaired can dial 711 to be connected to a TRS Communications Assistant.

You're getting this message because you subscribed to get email updates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com.

This service is provided to you at no charge by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Bradley Richlin