If you are a physical therapist, occupational therapist or speech-language pathologist in private practice and you participated in the 2019 Merit-Based Incentive Program (MIPS), you have now received your MIPS score and payment adjustment percentage for calendar year 2021. In this article, I will answer several questions that I have been receiving to help you understand what will be occurring in 2021. QuestionIs it possible for a therapist who has their own individual NPI number, is employed or contracted by multiple private practices (different TINs) and submitted claims to Medicare under each NPI/TIN combination to have different MIPS scores for

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced changes to the submission date for the 2019 Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Performance Period for MIPS eligible clinicians. In addition, CMS has implemented an Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Exception for the 2019 MIPS Performance Period for MIPS eligible clinicians. QuestionWhat is the new deadline to submit data for the 2019 MIPS Performance Period? Answer QuestionWhat happens if I do not submit my individual data by the new deadline date and time? Answer QuestionWhat is the Automatic Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances policy? Answer QuestionWho does this automatic exception apply to?

Effective January 1, 2019, physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists in private practice (submit claims on a 1500 claim form) are able to participate in the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) for Performance Year 2019. If an individual therapist exceeds all 3 of the low-volume thresholds during both determination periods, they will be required to participate in MIPS in 2019. But what if as an individual, not one therapist in a practice exceeds all 3 of the low-volume thresholds during both determination periods, but the group does. Must the group then participate in MIPS in 2019? The answer is