CMS PV-PQRS Registration System Opens July 15

The new physician registration system is now in place for individual providers and group practices participating in the Physician Value Modifier (PV) and Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) programs from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The PV-PQRS Registration system will open July 15, 2013, and remain available through October 15, 2013, for group practices to select or change their PQRS group reporting mechanism for 2013 or to elect their quality-tiering for the 2015 PV (groups of 100 or more) and for individual providers to elect the administrative claims reporting mechanism for 2013 PQRS to avoid the 2015 1.5 percent payment adjustment. Providers can prepare now by acquiring or updating their IACS accounts now (see #1 below).

Individual providers or group practices choosing the administrative claims reporting mechanism for 2013 will not be eligible for the PQRS incentive bonus. According to CMS officials in a November 2012 conference call, the administrative claims option was made available as a first step for non-participating providers to avoid a penalty in 2015, especially for groups of 100 or more eligible providers who will not only have a 1.5 percent payment adjustment for non-participation in PQRS but an additional 1 percent payment adjustment as part of the PV program, but the administrative claims option did not represent sufficient effort to qualify for a bonus.

Individual providers wishing to take advantage of the administrative claims option, or group practices wishing to change their PQRS group reporting mechanism or to elect quality tiering should take the next steps:

1. Get a new Individuals Authorized Access to the CMS Computer Services (IACS) account or modify your existing account as soon as possible at https://applications.cms.hhs.gov/. Instructions for accessing the website and creating your account are available in the slide presentation of the June 5, 2013, National Provider Call: “Getting Started with PQRS Reporting: Implications for the Value-based Payment Modifier and the PQRS Payment Adjustment.”
2. July 15, 2013-October 15, 2013 – Access the PV-PQRS Registration System to make your selections using your IACS User ID and password (from #1 above) at https://portal.cms.gov.
3. July 31, 2013 – If you have questions, register for the National Provider Call on how to register in the PV-PQRS Registration System at http://www.eventsvc.com/blhtechnologies.

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