Merit-Based Incentive Payment System Reporting

The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) is a program under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and is designed to promote reporting of quality information by eligible professionals.

The following performance thresholds and category weights for the 2020 performance period (which equates to the 2022 payment year):

• The performance threshold is 45 points
• The additional performance threshold for exceptional performance is 85 points
• The Quality performance category is weighted at 45% 
• The Cost performance category is weighted at 15% 
• The Promoting Interoperability performance category is weighted at 25% 
• The Improvement Activities performance category is weighted at 15%

The STS National Database has been designated a Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) for MIPS reporting in 2020. A QCDR is a CMS-approved entity that collects clinical data on behalf of clinicians for data submission. The data submitted to CMS via a QCDR cover quality measures across multiple payers and are not limited to Medicare beneficiaries or measures within MIPS.

Surgeons who participate in the STS National Adult Cardiac Surgery Database can satisfy the Quality category by signing a 2020 MIPS Data Sharing Consent Form. Surgeons will have the opportunity to attest to satisfying the Promoting Interoperability and Improvement Activities categories via a CMS attestation portal.

This service is free for STS members. Non-members will be assessed a $500 fee for the Society to transmit data on their behalf. To avoid this fee, surgeons have the opportunity to become STS members.