Most Doctors Say They’re Not Prepared for MACRA

We told you recently that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services lowered the threshold for physicians to be exempt from MACRA’s reporting requirements in 2018. It’s a good thing, too: 75% of physicians involved in practice decision-making say they do not feel well prepared to participate in MACRA’s Quality Payment Program (QPP). The data were just released by the American Medical Association and KPMG. The QPP pushes eligible providers to choose between the Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM) track, for clinicians who take on a significant portfolio of “Advanced APMs,” and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) track, for those who are reimbursed largely through fee-for-service. Those who participate in MIPS this year will receive penalties or bonuses of up to 4% starting in 2019. Recognizing the process may be taxing, CMS is calling 2017 a year of “transition” for the program.