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Hurricane Ida Added to Automatic Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Policy for MIPS

Sep 17, 2021

In response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designation of Hurricane Ida as a major disaster, CMS has determined that the automatic extreme and uncontrollable circumstances (EUC) policy will apply to Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians in FEMA-designated disaster areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey, and Missouri.

MIPS eligible clinicians in these areas will be automatically identified and receive a neutral payment adjustment for the 2023 MIPS payment year. During the data submission period for the 2021 performance period (January 3, 2022 to March 31, 2022), all 4 performance categories for these clinicians will be weighted at 0%, resulting in a score equal to the performance threshold.

  • However, if MIPS eligible clinicians in these areas choose to submit data on 2 or more performance categories, they’ll be scored on those categories and receive a 2023 MIPS payment adjustment based on their 2021 MIPS final score.

The automatic EUC policy won’t apply to MIPS eligible clinicians participating in MIPS as a group, virtual group, or Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entity.

For More Information

Please reference the Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Overview section on the MIPS > About Exception Applications page and the 2021 MIPS Automatic EUC Fact Sheet.

Questions?

Contact the Quality Payment Program at 1-866-288-8292 or by e-mail at: QPP@cms.hhs.gov, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.- 8 p.m. ET. To receive assistance more quickly, please consider calling during non-peak hours—before 10 a.m. and after 2 p.m. ET.

Customers who are hearing impaired can dial 711 to be connected to a TRS Communications Assistant.