2019 Quality reporting: QPP Year 3 has few changes, goes easy on small practices, EHR

Why This Topic Matters

The article helps readers assess whether their practice or clinician group is affected by 2019 QPP policy updates, including reporting pathways, category weighting, technology requirements, and new measure sets. It is useful for planning compliance, resource allocation, and quality reporting workflows under CMS rules.

Article Sections

1. Overview of 2019 QPP changes

   Introduces the 2019 final rule for the Quality Payment Program and summarizes the general direction of the updates. It frames the changes in relation to prior years and program stability.

2. Program scoring and participation thresholds

   Covers the MIPS score adjustments, performance thresholds, exceptional performance considerations, and data completeness requirements. It also discusses the broader participation context for eligible clinicians.

3. Small practice flexibilities and opt-in/opt-out rules

   Describes special treatment for small practices and the updated criteria related to exclusion from or entry into the program. It focuses on administrative options and category reweighting for smaller groups.

4. Category requirements

   Introduces the main MIPS category updates for the performance period. This section serves as a lead-in to the detailed category-specific changes that follow.

5. New MIPS clinical quality measures (CQMs)

   Lists new quality measures added for the year, with emphasis on the types of clinical topics represented. The discussion stays at a high level on the measure additions.

6. New eCQMs (reported through EHR)

   Summarizes the new electronic clinical quality measures reported through certified EHR technology. It identifies the general subject areas covered by the added measures.

7. Promoting Interoperability

   Explains the major reporting and technology changes in the interoperability category, including EHR certification expectations. It also compares the updated structure with the prior year’s category design.

8. Update to Improvement Activities (IAs)

   Reviews additions, removals, and edits within the improvement activities category. The section highlights the breadth of activity types affected without detailing operational instructions.

9. Cost category has more weight plus 8 new episode-of-care measures

   Describes the cost-category weighting change and the introduction of new episode-based measures. It also notes how cost attribution is handled at a general level and how existing cost measures remain in use.

10. Six new provider types included

    Lists additional provider types that are eligible for the program in 2019 and notes proposed types that were not finalized. The section addresses participation scope across professions.