(a) General. Each MIPS eligible clinician receives a MIPS payment adjustment factor, and if applicable an additional MIPS payment adjustment factor for exceptional performance, for a MIPS payment year determined by comparing their final score to the performance threshold and additional performance threshold for the year.

(b) Performance threshold. A performance threshold will be specified for each MIPS payment year.

(1) MIPS eligible clinicians with a final score at or above the performance threshold receive a zero or positive MIPS payment adjustment factor on a linear sliding scale such that an adjustment factor of 0 percent is assigned for a final score at the performance threshold and an adjustment factor of the applicable percent is assigned for a final score of 100.

(2) MIPS eligible clinicians with a final score below the performance threshold receive a negative MIPS payment adjustment factor on a linear sliding scale such that an adjustment factor of 0 percent is assigned for a final score at the performance threshold and an adjustment factor of the negative of the applicable percent is assigned for a final score of 0; further, MIPS eligible clinicians with final scores that are equal to or greater than zero, but not greater than one-fourth of the performance threshold, receive a negative MIPS payment adjustment factor that is equal to the negative of the applicable percent.

(3) A scaling factor not to exceed 3.0 may be applied to positive MIPS payment adjustment factors to ensure budget neutrality such that the estimated increase in aggregate allowed charges resulting from the application of the positive MIPS payment adjustment factors for the MIPS payment year equals the estimated decrease in aggregate allowed charges resulting from the application of negative MIPS payment adjustment factors for the MIPS payment year.

(4) The performance threshold for the 2019 MIPS payment year is 3 points.

(5) The performance threshold for the 2020 MIPS payment year is 15 points.

(6) The performance threshold for the 2021 MIPS payment year is 30 points.

(7) The performance threshold for the 2022 MIPS payment year is 45 points.

(8) The performance threshold for the 2023 MIPS payment year is 60 points.

(9) Pursuant to the methodology established at paragraph (g) of this section:

(i) The performance threshold for the 2024 MIPS payment year is 75 points. The prior period used to determine the performance threshold is the 2019 MIPS payment year.

(ii) The performance threshold for the 2025 MIPS payment year is 75 points. The prior period used to determine the performance threshold is the 2019 MIPS payment year.

(iii) The performance threshold for the 2026 MIPS payment year is 75 points. The prior period to determine the performance threshold is the 2019 MIPS payment year.

(c) Applicable percent. For MIPS payment year 2019, 4 percent. For MIPS payment year 2020, 5 percent. For MIPS payment year 2021, 7 percent. For MIPS payment year 2022 and each subsequent MIPS payment year, 9 percent.

(d) Additional performance threshold. An additional performance threshold will be specified for each of the MIPS payment years 2019 through 2024.

(1) In addition to the MIPS payment adjustment factor, MIPS eligible clinicians with a final score at or above the additional performance threshold receive an additional MIPS payment adjustment factor for exceptional performance on a linear sliding scale such that an additional adjustment factor of 0.5 percent is assigned for a final score at the additional performance threshold and an additional adjustment factor of 10 percent is assigned for a final score of 100, subject to the application of a scaling factor as determined by CMS, such that the estimated aggregate increase in payments resulting from the application of the additional MIPS payment adjustment factors for the MIPS payment year shall not exceed $500,000,000 for each of the MIPS payment years 2019 through 2024.

(2) [Reserved]

(3) The additional performance threshold for the 2019 MIPS payment year is 70 points.

(4) The additional performance threshold for the 2020 MIPS payment year is 70 points.

(5) The additional performance threshold for the 2021 MIPS payment year is 75 points.

(6) The additional performance threshold for the 2022 and 2023 MIPS payment years is 85 points.

(7) The additional performance threshold for the 2024 MIPS payment year is 89 points.

(e) Application of adjustments to payments. Except as specified in paragraph (f) of this section, in the case of covered professional services (as defined in section 1848(k)(3)(A) of the Act) furnished by a MIPS eligible clinician during a MIPS payment year beginning with 2019, the amount otherwise paid under Part B with respect to such covered professional services and MIPS eligible clinician for such year, is multiplied by 1, plus the sum of the MIPS payment adjustment factor divided by 100, and as applicable, the additional MIPS payment adjustment factor divided by 100.

(f) Exception to application of MIPS payment adjustment factors to model-specific payments under section 1115A APMs. Beginning with the 2019 MIPS payment year, the payment adjustment factors specified under paragraph (e) of this section are not applicable to payments that meet all of the following conditions:

(1) Are made only to participants in a model tested under section 1115A of the Act;

(2) Would otherwise be subject to the requirement to apply the MIPS payment adjustment factors if the payment is made with respect to a MIPS eligible clinician participating in a section 1115A model; and

(3) Either have a specified payment amount or are paid according to a methodology for calculating a model-specific payment that is applied in a consistent manner to all model participants, such that application of the MIPS payment adjustment factors would potentially interfere with CMS's ability to effectively evaluate the impact of the APM.

(g) Performance threshold methodology. For each of the 2024, 2025, and 2026 MIPS payment years, the performance threshold is the mean of the final scores for all MIPS eligible clinicians from a prior period as specified under paragraph (b) of this section.