Getting Ready for MACRA

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last week issued its final rule carrying out key provisions of the landmark Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), which called for a new Medicare payment system for physicians. Eligible clinicians will participate in one of two tracks starting in 2017 – the default Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) or advanced alternative payment models (APMs), such as an accountable care organization or patient-centered medical homes. Clinicians who choose certain APMs can potentiallyearn annual bonuses of 5%. For those participating in MIPS, CMS made important changeswhere clinicians can “pick their pace” toward participating in the new program during 2017. Now is the time to plan for the transition to the new program. To help you and your clinician partners prepare for the start of the program, we’ve created a MACRA Tracker that will help hospitals evaluate where to invest time and resources in getting ready. Over the next few weeks, we will roll out additional tools to assist with MACRA implementation and education, including an educational video series called MACRA Minutes and a tool with strategic considerations and issues as hospitals and clinicians assess their preparedness for MIPS. And tap into our MACRA tools and resources. Stay tuned – there will be a lot to learn about Medicare’s new physician payment system in the next few months, and we stand ready to help.