Monday, February 1, 2021

CORRECTION 2021 Call for MIPS Promoting Interoperability Measures and Improvement Activities Now Open; COVID-19 Vaccine Resources: What Partners Need to Know Now

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Quality Payment Program

2021 Call for MIPS Promoting Interoperability Measures and Improvement Activities Now Open

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) encourages you to submit Promoting Interoperability measures and Improvement Activities for consideration for future years of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). The MIPS Annual Call for Measures and Activities process allows clinicians, professional associations and medical societies that represent clinicians, researchers, consumer groups, and others to identify and submit measures and activities. Currently, we are accepting submissions for:  

  • Measures for the Promoting Interoperability performance category
  • Activities for the Improvement Activities performance category

We will provide additional information on the Annual Call for Quality Measures for the Quality performance category soon. 

What We're Looking For

For Promoting Interoperability: CMS is looking for specific measures that build on the advanced use of certified EHR technology (CEHRT) using 2015 Edition Certification Standards and Criteria; promote interoperability and health information exchange; improve program efficiency, effectiveness, and flexibility; provide patients access to their health information; reduce clinician burden; and align with MIPS Improvement Activities and Quality performance categories.

For Improvement Activities: CMS is looking for activities that can be considered higher than the standard of care. This means that the sets of practices or activities being proposed for consideration exceed defined, commonly accepted guidelines for level of quality or attainment in clinical care or quality improvement guidelines. CMS will not accept duplicative concepts to existing or retired activities.

How to Submit Measures and Activities

If you're interested in proposing new measures and activities for MIPS, review the 2021 Call for Measures and Activities Overview Fact Sheet in this toolkit (zip) and fill out and submit the forms from the toolkit for the following performance categories during the specified submission periods:

  • Promoting Interoperability Performance Category (Submission Period: February 1 – July 1, 2021 for 2023 measures)
  • Improvement Activities Performance Category (Submission Period: February 1 – July 1, 2021 for 2023 activities)

Call for Promoting Interoperability Measures and Improvement Activities Webinar

CMS is hosting a webinar to provide an overview of the Call for Promoting Interoperability Measures and Improvement Activities submission process. Register today to secure your spot.

Webinar Details

Title: Merit-based Incentive Payment System: Call for Promoting Interoperability Measures and Improvement Activities Webinar

Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Time: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET

Registration Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5718410855076730893

For More Information

  • Download the 2021 Call for Measures and Activities Toolkit (zip) in the Quality Payment Program (QPP) Resource Library.
  • Contact the Quality Payment Program at 1-866-288-8292 or by e-mail at: QPP@cms.hhs.gov. To receive assistance more quickly, consider calling during non-peak hours—before 10 AM and after 2 PM ET. We also encourage you to contact us earlier in the year, as response times often increase with heavier demand as the March 31 data submission deadline approaches.
    • Customers who are hearing impaired can dial 711 to be connected to a TRS Communications Assistant.

COVID-19 Vaccine Resources: What Partners Need to Know Now

As COVID-19 vaccines begin rolling out across the country CMS is taking action to protect the health and safety of our nation's patients and providers and keeping you updated on the latest COVID-19 resources from HHS, CDC and CMS.

With information coming from many different sources, CMS has compiled resources and materials to help you share important and relevant information on the COVID- 19 vaccine with the people that you serve. You can find these and more resources on the COVID-19 Partner Resources Page and the HHS COVID Education Campaign page. We look forward to partnering with you to promote vaccine safety and encourage our beneficiaries to get vaccinated when they have the opportunity.

If you are a healthcare provider:

Both the CDC and CMS have useful resources for your practice. Look to CDC for the latest science, vaccine administration information and patient-focused resources.

You can find additional resources on the CDC Resources for Health Care Providers Page.

CMS released a COVID-19 Provider Toolkit to ensure health care providers have the necessary tools to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The toolkit includes information on:

You can also review the set of COVID-19 FAQs, which has information specific to health care providers who bill Medicare for administering COVID-19 vaccines.

Here's what else you should know:

  • Medicare covers the COVID-19 vaccine, so there will be no cost to your patients with Medicare.  Medicare will reimburse you for administering the vaccine.
  • State governments are handling the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Look for updates from your state and local officials as more doses of the vaccine become available for additional priority groups.
  • People without health insurance or whose insurance does not provide coverage of the vaccine can also get COVID-19 vaccine at no cost.  Providers administering the vaccine to people without health insurance or whose insurance does not provide coverage of the vaccine can request reimbursement for the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine through the Provider Relief Fund.
  • Most professional associations have pages devoted to COVID-19 vaccination.  Your association may have advice tailored to your discipline, specialty and/or location. 

How can you help educate your patients?

  • You are a trusted source…encourage your patients to get the vaccine when it is available to them.
  • Let them know the vaccine is no cost and will help keep them from getting COVID-19. Learn more about the benefits of the vaccine.
  • Let them know the vaccine is safe and that safety is a top priority for COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Remind them to continue practicing the 3Ws (Wear a Mask, Watch your distance, Wash your hands).

Questions?  Please e-mail us:  Partnership@cms.hhs.gov


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