PQRS Coming to An End
The Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) that physical and occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists in private practice have had to participate in for the past several years to avoid a payment reduction is coming to an end on December 31, 2016. Beginning January 1, 2017, PQRS will be replaced by the
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Hi Rick,
Based on what we’ve been reading, we were under the impression that physical therapists in private practice could not volunteer to participate in MIPS. Is that correct? If not, what should we be doing to volunteer for MIPS?
We currently report PQRS through a registry (FOTOS) and receive our G codes through this process. Should we be doing something different? Please advise.
Thank You
Ruthanne Balch
We are still waiting for the process for PTs and OTs to voluntarily participate in MIPS.
Does this mean we can stop doing the PQRS as of 1/1/2017?
Yes!
Do you have a timeframe for when more information will be released for the therapy requirements for MIPS? Will it be the same information that is currently collected under PQRS?
I do not know when CMS will release updated information.
Will hospital based clinics still be excluded from reporting?
MIPS is only for private practices.
Can a PT private practice still report PQRS as we have been in 2017 (claimed based) and receive feedback reports under MIPS?
That is what we hear. We are waiting for more information from CMS on this.
With PQRS and MU combining and the new evaluation codes will physical therapist have to still report the G codes?? Will you be holding a webinar for the new system MIPS replacing PQRS and MU?
FLR is still required in 2017. I will be doing a webinar on MIPS sometime in 2017.
As I am reading this today, those of us in private practice can STOP reporting PQRS without any penalty for the future?
You are correct!
Read above. For Private Practice OT, do you suggest ongoing PQRS reporting in 2017 or stop. Confused about the MIPS feedback.
Effective January 1, 2017, PQRS has stopped. The new program is called Merit-Based Incentive Program and for 2017 and 2018, physical and occupational therapists as well as speech-language pathologists in private practice are not considered eligible professionals and therefore are not mandated to participate in MIPS. You can do so on a voluntary basis. Watch for an upcoming article on MIPS in the near future on our website.
In 2017 and 2018, PTs and OTs can voluntarily report in MIPS, but are not mandated to do so since they are not considered an eligible professional for 2017 and 2018. Watch for a future article where I will discuss MIPS more in-depth.
So is it my understanding that all Physical Therapist stop reporting the PQRS codes? I guess I am a little confused on who stops. I work with 5 different pt offices and I want to make sure we don’t have to bill them out.
The PQRS program ended at the end of 2016. It has been replaced with a new program called Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Watch for a future article on MIPS.
Rick you stated we are still waiting to see how PTs can volunteer for the MIPS, any update as to how to do this? We still do our notes
manually without an EMR?EHR.
You would report the measures you were reporting for PQRS on the claim form to voluntarily participate in MIPS in 2017.
Any update on how to voluntarily report in MIPS for an outpatient PT clinic? I know we may not be required to report until 2019, but would like to be prepared. Are you having a webinar/seminar on the topic?
You would voluntarily report for MIPS the same as you did for PQRS. I will be doing a webninar on MIPS in 2018 as we prepare for 2019 and the expectation that PTs, OTs and SLPs in private practice will be added to the MIPS program.