December 29, 2022 – For the 2022 performance year, we continue to use our Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances (EUC) application to allow clinicians, groups, virtual groups, and Alternate Payment Model (APM) Entities to request reweighting of MIPS performance categories due to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE).

We’ve extended the MIPS EUC application deadline for only individuals, groups, virtual groups, and APM Entities citing COVID-19 as the triggering event through 8 p.m. ET on Friday, March 3, 2023. Please note that applications received between January 3, 2023 and March 3, 2023 won’t override submitted data for individuals, groups, and virtual groups.

APM Entities participating in MIPS APMs can submit a MIPS EUC Exception application with some differences from our existing policy for individuals, groups, and virtual groups:

  • APM Entities are required to request reweighting for all performance categories.
  • At least 75% of the MIPS eligible clinicians in the APM Entity will need to qualify for reweighting in the Promoting Interoperability performance category.
  • Data submission for an APM Entity won’t override performance category reweighting from an approved application.

Additional Resources

For more information, please see the Quality Payment Program COVID-19 Response webpage of the QPP website.

Final Reminder: 2023 MIPS Performance Year Virtual Group Election Period

If you’re interested in forming a virtual group for the 2023 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance year, an election must be submitted to CMS via e-mail at MIPS_VirtualGroups@cms.hhs.gov by December 31, 2022 (11:59 p.m. ET).

Is a Virtual Group Required to Submit an Election to Participate in MIPS for the 2023 MIPS Performance Year?

Yes, a virtual group must submit an election to CMS for each performance year it intends to participate in MIPS as a virtual group (as this is required by statute).

If your virtual group was approved for the 2022 MIPS performance year and intends to participate in MIPS as a virtual group for the 2023 MIPS performance year, your virtual group must still submit an election to CMS for the 2023 MIPS performance year by December 31, 2022 (11:59 p.m. ET).

What is a Virtual Group?

A virtual group is a combination of 2 or more Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) consisting of:

  • Solo practitioners (defined as the only clinician in a practice) who are MIPS eligible; and/or
  • Groups that have 10 or fewer clinicians (at least one clinician within the group must be MIPS eligible). A group is considered to be an entire single TIN.

A virtual group has the flexibility to determine its own makeup.

A solo practitioner or group can only participate in one virtual group during the performance year.

How Can I Benefit From Participating in a Virtual Group?

You can:  

  • Collaborate, share resources, and potentially increase performance under MIPS.
  • Increase performance volume in order to be reliably measured.

What Is the Virtual Group Election Process?

A virtual group must do the following prior to submitting an election:

  • Establish a formal written agreement between each TIN within the virtual group (see Agreement Sample Template in the Virtual Group Election Process Guide within the 2023 Virtual Group Toolkit).
  • Identify an official virtual group representative.

The following elements must be included in an election:

  • Acknowledge that a formal written agreement has been established between each TIN within the virtual group.
  • The name and contact information for the official virtual group representative.
  • The name and TIN for each practice, and all associated National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) under each TIN.

Once the above is complete, the virtual group must submit the election to CMS via e-mail at MIPS_VirtualGroups@cms.hhs.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on December 31, 2022 (see Election E-mail Sample in the Virtual Group Election Process Guide within the 2023 Virtual Group Toolkit (ZIP)).

Please note that the 2023 Virtual Group Toolkit (ZIP) contains additional helpful information regarding virtual group participation in MIPS, virtual group reporting requirements, the election process, checklists for virtual groups to consider, and sample template.