CMS is requesting clearance for the
statutorily required virtual group election process proposed in the
CY 2018 Quality Payment Program proposed rule. As outlined in
section 1848(q)(5)(I)(iii) of the Social Security Act (hereafter
the Act) as amended by section 101 of MACRA, a virtual group is a
combination of TINs, which would include at least two separate TINs
associated with a solo practitioner (TIN/NPI) or group with 10 or
fewer MIPS eligible clinicians and another solo practitioner
(TIN/NPI) or group with 10 or fewer MIPS eligible clinicians. In
the CY 2018 Quality Payment Program proposed rule, we propose that
once the election request is approved by CMS, each virtual group
will receive a virtual group identifier that will be used for
purposes of virtual group submission of quality, advancing care
information, and improvement activities performance category data
on behalf of its participating clinicians. We also propose to use
the virtual group identifier for calculation of a final score and
the associated MIPS payment adjustment for the virtual group, and
to provide performance feedback for each virtual group.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.