Changes to Telehealth, Price Transparency, MIPS, All in CMS OPPS Final Rule

In releasing its CY 2022 Physician Fee Schedule final rule, CMS announced a variety of elements included in the final rule that will impact telehealth, the MIPS program, and price transparency penalties

On Tuesday, Nov. 2, as it announced its calendar-year 2022 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System final rule, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) made the announcement of elements contained in that rule that will impact its price transparency efforts and could lead to increased financial penalties for some hospital organizations. CMS’ Calendar Year (CY) 2022 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule will promote greater use of telehealth and other telecommunications technologies for providing behavioral health care services, encourage growth in the diabetes prevention program, and boost payment rates for vaccine administration. Under the heading “Expanding Use of Telehealth and Other Telecommunications Technologies for Behavioral Health Care,” the press release went on to state that “The final rule makes significant strides in expanding access to behavioral health care  ̶  especially for traditionally underserved communities  ̶  by harnessing telehealth and other telecommunications technologies. Meanwhile, the press release on the agency’s website, under the heading, “Advancing the Quality Payment Program and MIPS Value Pathways,” stated that, “To further improve the quality of care for people with Medicare, the PFS final rule makes several key changes to CMS’ Quality Payment Program (QPP), a value-based payment program that promotes the delivery of high-value care by clinicians through a combination of financial incentives and disincentives.