171,000 clinicians get MU pay cut as reporting changes for 2017

About 171,000 Medicare eligible professionals (EPs) will be hit with a 3 percent downward payment adjustment this year for failing to show meaningful use (MU) under the Medicare Electronic Health Record Incentive Program in 2015.

The number of clinicians receiving the negative adjustment has been declining, down from 257,000 in 2015 and 209,000 in 2016. The penalty itself, however, grew, as clinicians were only hit with a 2 percent reduction last year.

For the next reporting year, meaningful use is making way for the new Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) within the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).

“Beginning with reporting periods in 2017 for the 2019 payment year, EHR Incentive Program Medicare EP will no longer report to the EHR Incentive Program while Medicaid EP will continue to attest to their state to earn an incentive payment. These EPs will instead report to MIPS, and be subject to the program requirements and payment system of that program,” a CMS fact sheet explained.

The rules are slightly different for EPs who are first showing meaningful use in 2017. To avoid a negative adjustment in 2018, they must demonstrate meaningful use for a 90-day reporting period during ending no later Oct. 1.