MedPAC sees the VVP not as an end goal in the transition to paying for value, but rather a stepping stone to get clinicians more comfortable with value-based payments en route to moving into the QPP’s advanced alternative payment model (A-APM) track.
“A VVP’s penalties and rewards might not be significant enough to meaningfully change clinician behavior,” the report stated. “However, the intent is to get clinicians comfortable with being measured in a manner similar to the way they would be in A-APMs. With that experience, clinicians would be poised to form or join robust A-APMs, under which the risk and reward are more meaningful, and the potential for true delivery system reform is within reach.”
There was a near unanimous consensus among MedPAC commissioners that MIPS is flawed, but not all commissioners were ready to give up on it – especially considering how much clinicians have already invested in the program.
MedPAC also heard from the American Medical Association, which voiced opposition to the idea of ending MIPS. In addition, the commission received written feedback from physicians against its proposal.