(a) Specification of cost measures. For purposes of assessing performance of MIPS eligible clinicians on the cost performance category, CMS specifies cost measures for a performance period.

(b) Attribution.

(1) Cost measures are attributed at the TIN/NPI level for the 2017 thorough 2019 performance periods.

(2) For the total per capita cost measure specified for the 2017 through 2019 performance periods, beneficiaries are attributed using a method generally consistent with the method of assignment of beneficiaries under §425.402 of this chapter.

(3) For the Medicare Spending per Beneficiary clinician (MSPB clinician) measure specified for the 2017 through 2019 performance periods, an episode is attributed to the MIPS eligible clinician who submitted the plurality of claims (as measured by allowed charges) for Medicare Part B services rendered during an inpatient hospitalization that is an index admission for the MSPB clinician measure during the applicable performance period.

(4) For the acute condition episode-based measures specified for the 2017 performance period, an episode is attributed to each MIPS eligible clinician who bills at least 30 percent of inpatient evaluation and management (E/M) visits during the trigger event for the episode.

(5) For the procedural episode-based measures specified for the 2017 performance period, an episode is attributed to each MIPS eligible clinician who bills a Medicare Part B claim with a trigger code during the trigger event for the episode.

(6) For the acute inpatient medical condition episode-based measures specified for the 2019 performance period, an episode is attributed to each MIPS eligible clinician who bills inpatient E/M claim lines during a trigger inpatient hospitalization under a TIN that renders at least 30 percent of the inpatient E/M claim lines in that hospitalization.

(7) For the procedural episode-based measures specified for the 2019 performance period, an episode is attributed to each MIPS eligible clinician who renders a trigger service as identified by HCPCS/CPT procedure codes.

(8) Beginning with the 2020 performance period, each cost measure is attributed according to the measure specifications for the applicable performance period.

(c) Case minimums.

(1) For the total per capita cost measure, the case minimum is 20.

(2) For the Medicare spending per beneficiary clinician measure, the case minimum is 35.

(3) For the episode-based measures specified for the 2017 performance period, the case minimum is 20.

(4) For the procedural episode-based measures specified beginning with the 2019 performance period, the case minimum is 10.

(5) For the acute inpatient medical condition episode-based measures specified beginning with the 2019 performance period, the case minimum is 20.

(d) Scoring weight. Unless a different scoring weight is assigned by CMS under section 1848(q)(5)(F) of the Act, performance in the cost performance category comprises:

(1) Zero percent of a MIPS eligible clinician's final score for MIPS payment year 2019.

(2) 10 percent of a MIPS eligible clinician's final score for MIPS payment year 2020.

(3) 15 percent of a MIPS eligible clinician's final score for MIPS payment years 2021 and 2022.

[83 FR 60079, Nov. 23, 2018, as amended at 84 FR 63195, Nov. 15, 2019]]