Are you reporting for PQRS in 2016? Here’s why you should.

Are you planning to submit 2016 data to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) physician quality reporting system (PQRS)? Physicians who participate in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and don’t report for 2016 will receive a 2% penalty in 2018.

Familiarizing yourself with the PQRS is also good preparation for MACRA, the new Medicare payment system, which kicks off in January and emphasizes quality by encouraging physicians to join an advanced alternative payment model (APM) or the merit-based incentive payment system (MIPS). The MIPS will streamline the PQRS, meaningful use of electronic health records, and the value-based payment modifier and will add a fourth category for clinical practice improvement activities.

Physicians have five options for PQRS reporting for 2016. They include reporting:

1. Using a qualified registry.
2. Through claims.
3. Electronically through your EHR system.
4. Through a qualified clinical data registry.
5. Through the group practice reporting option.

If you opt to report via qualified registry, the AOA has partnered with PQRSWizard to provide that option; it’s $199 for AOA members and $299 for nonmembers, and the deadline to submit data is Feb. 28, 2017, at 5 p.m. ET. Learn more about PQRSWizard and how to report for the PQRS.