The July 30, 2025 CMS Quality Payment Program newsletter announced three important updates to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) for performance years 2024 and 2025. These updates affect scoring timelines, APM bonus payments and new Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances (EUC) exceptions. A summary of each update is provided below:
Unpaid APM Participant Incentives – Action Required by September 1, 2025
CMS has identified certain physicians who were Qualifying APM Participants (QPs) during the 2023 QP Performance Period but have not yet received their incentive payments. In most cases, this is due to outdated or missing Medicare billing information. To resolve this, CMS has published a list of unpaid QPs along with instructions. Affected physicians must take action by September 1, 2025. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the payment.
2024 MIPS Final Scores Delayed
Due to delays in receiving key Medicare claims data necessary for cost measure calculations, CMS will postpone the release of final MIPS scores for the 2024 performance year until fall 2025.
• MIPS payment adjustments for the 2026 payment year will follow approximately one month after final scores are published.
• The Targeted Review period will open once scores are available and remain open for 30 days after payment adjustments are released.
EUC Exception Granted for Texas Storms
In response to recent severe storms, CMS has activated the EUC policy for MIPS participants in several Texas counties. Eligible clinicians practicing in these areas will automatically receive a 0% reweighting in all four MIPS categories for the 2025 performance year. This results in a neutral payment adjustment for the 2027 payment year. The official list of affected Texas counties is available here.
For the latest updates and detailed program information, visit the QPP website.
