Cancer Therapy AdvisorChanges to MIPS Disproportionately Penalize Oncologists, Researchers Say

The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) is a program that ties Medicare payments to the quality of care provided by physicians. In recent years, the weight of cost measures in MIPS has increased, which could disproportionately penalize oncologists.

A study published in JCO Oncology Practice found that the recent increase in the weight of cost measures, combined with lower cost scores, will likely result in lower composite MIPS scores, fewer total payment bonuses, and greater negative payment adjustments for oncologists.

In non-oncologists, the maximum penalty decreased from $8,262.82 in 2018 to $7,473.57 in 2022. This suggests that oncologists are more likely to be penalized under the current MIPS scoring system.

The researchers who conducted the study believe that the current paradigm of the MIPS scoring system will financially penalize heterogeneous and complex care-driven specialties such as oncology. They recommend that policymakers monitor whether the potential loss in revenue results in altered practice patterns and varying degrees of health care quality for patients with cancer.