From the CMS QPP Updates Newsletter:
From CMS Quality Payment Program Newsletter:
As previously announced (QPP listserv sent 7/25/2025), there was a delay with receiving some of the final Medicare claims data needed to calculate cost measures, which is delaying the release of MIPS final scores for the 2024 performance year and the Targeted Review period.
- We’re currently targeting mid-September for releasing 2024 MIPS final scores and opening the Targeted Review period.
MIPS payment adjustments for the 2026 MIPS payment year will be released approximately one month after the release of final scores. The Targeted Review period will close 30 days after the release of MIPS payment adjustments. From now until mid-September, you’ll continue to be able to access measure and activity-level scores for the data you reported during the submission period. However, performance period benchmarks are part of final scoring and won’t be available until final scores are released. In the meantime, we encourage you to confirm your MIPS eligibility and review the following scoring resources so that you’re prepared to understand your scores when they’re released. To confirm your eligibility for a MIPS payment adjustment, enter your National Provider Identifier (NPI) on the QPP Participation Status Look Up tool (check “PY 2024”) or sign into the QPP website and navigate to the Eligibility & Reporting page on the left hand navigation. Review pages 12 – 16 of the 2024 MIPS Eligibility and Participation Guide (PDF) for more information about what you see.
Review these scoring resources:
- 2024 Traditional MIPS Scoring Guide (ZIP, 6MB)
- 2024 APP Scoring Guide, included in the 2024 APP Toolkit (ZIP, 2MB)
- 2024 MVPs Implementation Guide (PDF, 1MB)
Today we bring you updates from the latest CMS QPP Newsletter for Small Practices:
CMS Proposes Policy Changes for Quality Payment Program
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued its Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Proposed Rule, which includes proposed policies for the Quality Payment Program (QPP).
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) includes proposals for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs), as well as several Requests for Information (RFIs).
Specifically, we’re proposing policies that:
- Continue the transformation of MIPS through MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs).
- Are responsive to feedback and concerns raised by interested parties.
- Maintain stability within the MIPS program through the established performance threshold.
2026 Policy Proposal Highlights
Key QPP policies that we are proposing in the CY 2026 PFS Proposed Rule include:
- Introducing 6 new MVPs for the 2026 performance year that are related to diagnostic radiology, interventional radiology, neuropsychology, pathology, podiatry, and vascular surgery.
- Introducing a 2-year informational-only feedback period for new cost measures, allowing clinicians to receive feedback on their score(s) and find opportunities to improve performance before a new cost measure affects their MIPS final score.
- Maintaining the current performance threshold policies, leaving the performance threshold set at 75 points through the 2028 performance year.
- Introducing Qualifying APM Participant (QP) determinations at the individual level, in addition to existing determinations at the APM entity level.
Overview of RFIs
We are also seeking feedback on RFIs about the following topics:
- Establishing Core Elements for MVPs, to require reporting on key quality measures within each MVP.
- Establishing a process to assign clinicians to an MVP, to facilitate the most relevant reporting for their scope of care.
- Transitioning to FHIR-based electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) reporting in quality reporting programs.
- Understanding the current environment, including challenges, with collecting and exchanging high-quality healthcare data.
- Changing requirements for the Query of Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) Measure and Performance-Based Measures in the Public Health and Clinical Data Exchange Objective.
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced it is suspending eight improvement activities for the 2025 performance year.
The suspension is in accordance with the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Improvement Activities Suspension Policy finalized in the CY2021 Physician Fee Schedule final rule. CMS intends to propose removing these improvement activities in future rulemaking.
MIPS Improvement Activities Suspended for PY 2025
| Activity ID | Activity Name |
| IA_AHE_5 |
MIPS Eligible Clinician Leadership in Clinical Trials or CPBR |
| IA_AHE_8 | Create and Implement an Anti-Racism Plan |
| IA_AHE_9 | Implement Food Insecurity and Nutrition Risk Identification and Treatment Protocols |
| IA_AHE_11 | Create and Implement a Plan to Improve Care for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Patients |
| IA_AHE_12 | Practice Improvements that Engage Community Resources to Address Drivers of Health |
| IA_PM_6 | Use of Toolsets or Other Resources to Close Health and Health Care Inequities Across Communities (Use of toolset or other resources to close healthcare disparities across communities) |
| IA_ERP_3 | COVID-19 Clinical Data Reporting with or without Clinical Trial |
| IA_PM_26 | Vaccine Achievement for Practice Staff: COVID-19, Influenza, and Hepatitis B |
CMS says that clinicians should select other improvement activities to complete. However, if any of the suspended improvement activities have already been completed or were in the process of being completed, clinicians will still be able to attest to completing them and receive credit. Please review the 2025 Improvement Activities Inventory for available improvement activities.
Visit the QPP website for more information.
Source: Improvement Activities Suspension Announcement, Small Practices Newsletter, 2025
The Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) has released Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance feedback and final scores for the 2023 performance year and associated MIPS payment adjustment information for the 2025 payment year.
The Quality Payment Program (QPP) Small Practices Newsletter is a monthly resource that provides small practices (15 or fewer clinicians) with program updates, upcoming QPP milestones, and resources to support their continued participation and success in QPP. The newsletter is sent on the 2nd Tuesday of each month.
The Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Value Pathways (MVPs) registration window is open for the 2023 performance year. Individuals, groups, subgroups, and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entities that wish to report an MCP can register until November 30, 2023 at 8 p.m. ET.
The MIPS Final Score Preview period for the 2022 performance year is now open. Small practices are strongly encouraged to sign in to the Quality Payment Program website to preview their final score based on data submitted for the 2022 performance year.
We encourage you to subscribe to the Quality Payment Program Small Practices Newsletter. It is a valuable resource from CMS to help your practice be successful in the Quality Payment Program. This week we bring you selected resources:
Today we share a recent newsletter from CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services):
