As the gap between MIPS penalties and incentives continues to widen, Anesthesiology practices have a beacon of light to look towards, in the form of MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs). This new reporting method bundles select quality measures into a group, much like a menu. You can collect data on as many of the measures as you choose, and then take your top 4 performers for reporting purposes. (As you may note, this is different from traditional MIPS reporting, where you take your top 6). Not all specialties will have this option for reporting year 2023, as the new program is in its early stages.
2023 MVPs
The 2023 MVPs are listed below, for your reference:
- Adopting Best Practices and Promoting Patient Safety within Emergency Medicine (Emergency Medicine)
- Advancing Cancer Care (Oncology, Hematology)
- Advancing Care for Heart Disease (Cardiology, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine)
- Advancing Rheumatology Patient Care (Rheumatology)
- Coordinating Stroke Care to Promote Prevention and Cultivate Positive Outcomes (Neurology, Neurosurgical, Vascular Surgery)
- Improving Care for Lower Extremity Joint Repair (Orthopedic Surgery)
- Optimal Care for Kidney Health (Nephrology)
- Optimal Care for Patients with Episodic Neurological Conditions
(Neurology) - Optimizing Chronic Disease Management (Cardiology. Internal Medicine, Family Medicine)
- Patient Safety and Support of Positive Experiences with Anesthesia
(Anesthesiology) - Promoting Wellness (Preventive Medicine, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Geriatrics)
- Supportive Care for Neurodegenerative Conditions
New Anesthesiology MVP
Since this article is focusing on the new Anesthesiology MVP, let’s take a closer look at the measure options and their maximum point values. Two of the three highest valued choices are QCDR measures from the ASA’s Registry (AQI). What this means in practical terms, is that you’ll have to report through AQI directly or use another QCDR which licenses their measures, to report and benefit from these measures in 2023. Although you can report some of the MVP measures through a Qualified Registry (QR), you’re limited to the National Measures only (those without an alpha prefix), which tend to be lower-value than the QCDR measures in the MVP.
MVP ID: G0059 Patient Safety and Support of Positive Experiences with Anesthesia – Measure Options
- 404 Anesthesiology Smoking Abstinence (Intermediate Outcome) – Max Points 10
- 424 Perioperative Temperature Management (Outcome) – Max Points 7
- 430 Prevention of Post-Operative Nausea and Vomiting (Process) – Max Points 7
- 463 Prevention of Post-Operative Vomiting – Peds (Process) – Max Points 7
- 477 Multimodal Pain Management (Process) – Max Points 7
- AQI48 Patient-Reported Experience with Anesthesia (Patient Reported Outcome) – Max Points 10
- AQI69 Intraoperative Antibiotic Redosing (Process) – Max Points 10
*AQI48 is a Patient Reported Outcome measure, which typically requires a survey tool or service.
To optimize your 2023 MIPS Quality score, it’s recommended that you report using both the Traditional and MVP options. CMS will award you the higher of the two scores automatically.
Conclusion
To enhance your MIPS performance, start by looking at what the “maximum point” quality measures are and determine the best track in which to report them. By submitting through a QCDR and registering for the new Anesthesiology MVP by 11/30/2023, your practice will be optimally positioned.
Hal has 30+ years of experience on both the payor and RCM side, with a focus in Anesthesia. He formerly worked as a senior claims approver at United Healthcare, as well as a compliance officer for multiple national anesthesia billing companies. His broad-based experience ensures that MSN clients have a resource for documentation and billing issues. His past speaking engagements include ASA, MGMA, Dartmouth, and Johns Hopkins.
