CMS extends physician/EP payment model information request period

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will accept comments through Nov. 17 to inform implementation of changes to Medicare payment for physicians and eligible professionals under Section 101 of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, the agency announced yesterday. The original comment deadline was Nov. 2. Section 101 of MACRA replaced the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate methodology for updates to the physician fee schedule with a physician payment system that will implement new physician quality and value-based payment programs in 2019. Eligible professionals will participate in one of two tracks -- a Merit-based Incentive Payment System or alternative payment models. “Since we requested the public to comment on various aspects of MIPS and APMs, we believe that it is important to allow ample time for the public to prepare comments,” CMS said. The notice also clarifies CMS’s priorities with respect to the information request.