Are Higher 2022 MIPS Penalties Good News?

Prior to 2022, CMS has **never penalized more than 3%** of all providers. The rules have changed this year. CMS is required to penalize everyone with below- average scores. This means that nearly **50% of all providers will pay** into the penalty pool. Average scores will get tougher to achieve in 2022. The first five years of MACRA were structured to be easy. Many of those elements go away this year. Bonus points on Quality have been eliminated, benchmarks get tougher, and penalty threshold are higher. The good news is that the penalty pool is used to fund the payment pool. Radiologists who score above the penalty threshold can earn up to a 9% positive payment adjustment and benefit from the bonus pool. In 2022, there is real money on the table for higher performing radiologists. However, most practices will need assistance to achieve higher MIPS scores. Velocity MIPS Reporter uses AI to automatically analyze your data and determine MIPS scores. Our consultants host regular MACRA optimization sessions during the year to help your practice stay on track to optimize providers’ performance and maximize your Medicare payment adjustments.