CMS Publishes 2024 Policy Changes for the Quality Payment Program

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the CY 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule, which includes policy changes for the Quality Payment Program (QPP) for the 2024 Performance Year (PY) and beyond. This rule will be published on November 16 in the Federal Register.

2024 Policy Highlights
The following are some of the key QPP policies that CMS finalized for the 2024 PY and beyond.

MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs)
We finalized 5 new MVPs, and modifications to all previously finalized MVPs. There will be a total of 16 MVPs available for reporting in the 2024 performance period.

Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) (General)
We finalized policies for the 2024 performance period for the MIPS performance categories, which result in:

• A total of 198 quality measures in the quality measures inventory and 106 improvement activities in the MIPS inventory.
• Five new episode-based cost measures, each with a 20-episode case minimum, in addition to the existing measures.
• The removal of the acute inpatient medical condition cost measure Simple Pneumonia with Hospitalization, beginning with the 2024 performance period.
• A performance period of at least 180 consecutive days for the Promoting Interoperability performance category, to be consistent with the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program.
   

Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs)
Starting with the 2024 performance period, all Advanced APMs must require the use of certified EHR technology (CEHRT).

Not Finalized Policies

• We didn’t finalize any policies that would result in an increase to the performance threshold. 
  • The performance threshold will remain 75 points for the 2024 performance period.
• We didn’t finalize an increase to the data completeness threshold for the 2027 performance period. 
  • The data completeness criteria will be maintained at 75% for the 2026 performance period.
• We didn’t finalize our proposal to make Qualifying Alternative Payment Model (APM) Participant (QP) determinations at the individual clinician level. 
  • We’ll continue to make these determinations at the APM Entity level for the 2024 performance period.
     

Overview of QPP Policies in the CY 2024 Medicare PFS Final Rule - Webinar Details
CMS will host a webinar on November 14 to provide an overview of the final policies for the 2024 PY. During this webinar, CMS will answer questions from attendees, as time permits.

• Title: Overview of QPP Policies in the CY 2024 Medicare PFS Final Rule
• Date: Tuesday, November 14, 2023
• Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
• Registration Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3BbBlVcnSwefhDrUzktkJA
   

For More Information 
Learn more about the CY 2024 Medicare PFS Final Rule and QPP policy changes by reviewing the following resources:

• Fact Sheet – Provides additional details about the finalized policies for QPP and other CMS initiatives.
• 2024 Quality Payment Program Final Rule Resources:
  • 2024 QPP Policy Overview Fact Sheet and Policy Comparison Table – Outlines QPP policies in the CY 2024 Medicare PFS Final Rule for the 2024 PY and beyond, and showcases the changes to QPP policies after the publishing of the CY 2024 Medicare PFS Final Rule. 
  • 2024 QPP Final Rule FAQs – Answers common questions about QPP policies in the CY 2024 Medicare PFS Final Rule.
• 2024 QPP Final Rule MVPs Guide – Highlights the finalized MVP policy changes, beginning with the 2023 PY.