PYA consultants have been monitoring the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) progress in making the Group Practice Reporting Option (GPRO) available to physician groups. Friday, CMS announced the availability of the registration portal for GPRO for groups with two or more eligible professionals (EPs). Satisfactorily reporting via a PQRS GPRO is one of the ways groups can avoid automatic downward adjustments and qualify for performance-based payment incentives under the Value Modifier.
Physician groups with two or more EPs that choose not to register, must ensure that at least 50% of the EPs in the group meet the criteria to avoid the 2017 PQRS payment adjustment as individuals in order for the group to avoid the automatic 2017 Value Modifier downward payment adjustment (-2.0% or -4.0% depending on the group’s size). The registration system can be accessed on the CMS website using a valid Individual’s Authorized Access to the CMS Computer Services (IACS) account. Step-by-step instructions for obtaining an IACS account with the correct role are provided on the PQRS GPRO Registration webpage.
PYA recently authored a white paper, “Practical Guide to the Medicare Physician Value Modifier Program,” which provides physicians with a Value Modifier Program summary, information about calculating composite scores, and tables that demonstrate the upward/downward adjustments. It also outlines a “to-do list” of six tasks that physician groups should perform to properly prepare.
If your group would like assistance with evaluating strategy and implementation tactics related to PV-PQRS and other value-based/quality initiatives, contact the experts listed below at PYA, (888) 420-9876.
