MIPS Value Pathways

In 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the implementation of the MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs)—a new framework intended to streamline the MIPS by connecting activities and measures across the four MIPS categories that are relevant to a specific specialty, condition, or population. Due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of MVPs was delayed until 2023.

Beginning with the 2023 performance year, CMS will make the following seven MVPs available as a voluntary MIPS participation pathway. MVPs are composed of quality measures (including one outcome measure [or high-priority measure, if the outcome measure isn't applicable]), improvement activities, and cost measures relevant to the condition, specialty, or patient population. MVPs are also required to include a foundational layer made up of population health measures and the Promoting Interoperability performance category measures. While MVPs, at least for the foreseeable future, will continue to rely on current flawed MIPS policies that limit meaningful participation among surgeons, this pathway does include a slightly reduced reporting burden compared to traditional MIPS. In future years, CMS will propose additional MVPs.

For the CY 2023 performance year, as part of the transition to MVPs, CMS also plans to implement voluntary subgroup reporting for those who choose to participate in MVPs or the APM Performance Pathway (APP). CMS believes that allowing multi-specialty groups to form sub-groups will enable specialties to select MVPs that are most relevant to the care they deliver. Starting in 2025, subgroup reporting will be mandatory for multispecialty groups that choose to participate in an MVP.

CMS MIPS Value Pathways Website