MIPS Performance Categories

MIPS performance scores may range from 0 to 100 points.  For most clinicians performance in the following four categories (and bonuses) will determine the score for individual clinicians and groups:

• Quality – based on performance on 6 quality measures
• Advancing Clinical Information – based on meeting base measure requirements, score on performance measures and bonus measures
• Improvement Activities – based on meeting the requirements of between 1 and 4 improvement activities
• Cost – based on performance on two cost measures

In 2018 each category has the following weighting:

• Quality: 50%
• Promoting Interoperability (formerly Advancing Clinical Information): 25%
• Improvement Activities: 15%
• Cost: 10%

The weightings in 2019 will be published by CMS in the 2019 Quality Payment Final Rule in November of 2018.  The anticipated weightings for each of the four categories are:

• Quality: 45%
• Promoting Interoperability: 25%
• Improvement Activities: 15%
• Cost: 15%

The Cost category’s weighting will gradually increase from 2018 to 2021 from 10% to up to 30%.  However, by statute the Cost category will have a weighting of 30% starting in the 2022 performance year.  The weighing of the Promoting Interoperability category may decrease to as low as 15% depending on the number of clinicians that achieve “meaningful use” of their EHRs.   The additional weighting points would then be shifted to other categories (e.g., Quality or Cost).