Mapping Base-EHR to MIPS ACI-Base-Score: 5 Things You Need to Know

This is a guest post by Pawan Jindal of MyMIPSScore and originally appeared at the MyMIPSScore Blog

Under MACRA, Advancing Care Information(ACI) category of MIPS replaced Meaningful Use. As we discussed briefly in the 10 step overview of MIPS, ACI scoring under MIPS is determined based on the provider’s performance for a set of base measures as well as their performance on additional “performance measures”. A provider has to complete every measure included in the Base Measures Set OR be eligible for an exclusion to receive any score for the ACI performance category.

Providers have to use a certified EHR to receive a base score in ACI. Although, you can use a 2014 or a 2015 certified EHR for 2018 MIPS reporting year, providers receive a bonus for using a 2015 edition. Further, 2015 edition will be required starting from 2019.

The specifications for 2015 Edition EHR were finalized before ACI category replaced Meaningful Use. As a result, there has been a lot of confusion to determine the mapping between 2015 Edition EHR and the ACI category reporting requirements. To make matters worse, 2015 Edition EHR eliminated the “Complete EHR” concept. This leaves the responsibility of acquiring all the required components for meeting ACI base score (and the performance score) requirements on the providers’ shoulders.

We have created an infographic to help you understand the mapping between a 2015 Certified EHR and ACI Base Measures. We will also be discussing this in detail during our boot camp webinar series for the providers and for the EHR vendors.

Here are 5 key things that you need to understand from the infographic:

1. Unlike Meaningful Use, there is not a one-to-one match between an EHR module and a MIPS ACI measure. However, you need to have an EHR (or a combination of EHR modules) that is/are certified for all the Base EHR certification criteria to meet the ACI base score requirements. You can check the modules which an EHR is certified for here.
2. e-Prescribing is NOT included in the base EHR definition. If you are eligible for an exclusion for the e-Prescription measure, your EHR does not need to support e-prescribing.
3. You can also claim exclusion for 2 of the other 5 base ACI measures. However, unlike e-Prescribing your EHR still has to support those modules as they are part of Base EHR certification criteria.
4. Provide Patient Access is one of the ACI base measure that requires an EHR module that is not included in the base EHR definition. There is no exclusion available for this measure
5. The Security Risk Analysis (SRA) requirements are similar to what they were in Meaningful Use (It is required. No exclusion available.) Although, this is mapped to the EHR’s security modules, the provider is responsible for completing the SRA, independent from the EHR vendor.

In summary, to get a Base Score in ACI under MIPS, you need to make sure you have an EHR or a combination of EHR modules that:

• Meets the base EHR requirement AND the VDT (View, Download, and Transmit) requirement
• Has e-Prescribing capability (if you don’t meet the exclusion)

You need to complete the SRA independently.

To understand more about the role of your EHR in not only meeting the MIPS 2018 requirements, but helping you excel in MIPS, register for a webinar in our MIPS 2018 boot camp webinar series.