Two physician lawmakers introduced legislation to replace the Merit-based Incentive Payment System.
Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD, a Republican from Iowa, and Herb Conaway Jr., MD, a Democrat from New Jersey, introduced the Medicare Physician Data-Driven Performance Payment System Act, which would establish a new Data-Driven Performance Payment System backed by over 100 medical societies.
The proposal aims to reduce administrative burden and adjust Medicare’s value-based payment structure. The current MIPS program, established in 2015, ties physician payment adjustments to performance metrics such as quality and cost.
Physician groups have raised concerns about the program’s complexity and financial impact. One study estimated MIPS costs practices about $12,800 per physician annually and requires more than 53 hours per year for related administrative tasks.
The legislation would reduce penalties, reinvest funds into quality improvement and provide more frequent performance feedback. The Medical Group Management Association, which represents more than 15,000 medical practices, voiced support for the bill.
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