ACI Hardship Exemptions for Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)

Many psychiatrists with low Medicare Part B billings or patients ($30,000 or 100 Part B patients) have “special status” excluding them from 2017 MIPS reporting and related penalties. Others may qualify for a hardship exemption from the Advancing Care Information (ACI) category that measures the use of Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (CEHRT).

There are three grounds for ACI hardship exemptions:

• • Insufficient Internet connectivity

• • Extreme and uncontrollable circumstances

• • Lack of control over the availability of CEHRT

“Extreme and uncontrollable circumstances” require specific dates and include a natural or other disaster affecting the use of CEHRT, closure of a practice or hospital, severe financial distress (like bankruptcy or debt restructuring), or EHR certification or vendor issues.

To submit a Quality Payment Program Hardship Exception Application, go to the Quality Payment Program website or call the Quality Payment Program Service Center at (866) 288-8292. You will need your National Provider Identifier (NPI) or Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), contact information, hardship category, and supporting information.

Applications are processed on a rolling basis. A confirmation email will state whether your application is pending, approved, or dismissed. If you are granted this exemption, your ACI score will be weighted 0% in your MIPS composite score.