81 FR 26565 - Medicare Program; Announcement of Requirements and Registration for the MIPS Mobile Challenge

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 85 (May 3, 2016)

This notice launches a challenge related to the new Merit- based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) program, which will assist the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in accelerating the transition from the traditional fee-for-service payment model to a system that rewards health care providers for giving better care, not just more care. This challenge will address one of the most important aspects of our programs, which is educating and providing outreach to the potential 1.2 million MIPS eligible clinicians.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 3, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26565-26566]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10301]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-3333-N]


Medicare Program; Announcement of Requirements and Registration 
for the MIPS Mobile Challenge

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice launches a challenge related to the new Merit-
based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) program, which will assist the 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in accelerating the 
transition from the traditional fee-for-service payment model to a 
system that rewards health care providers for giving better care, not 
just more care. This challenge will address one of the most important 
aspects of our programs, which is educating and providing outreach to 
the potential 1.2 million MIPS eligible clinicians.

DATES: Important dates concerning the Challenge include the following:
    MIPS Mobile Challenge: To be announced on www.challenge.gov and 
opened for submissions in https://jira.oncprojectracking.org, April 25, 
2016.
    Deadline for Phase I Submissions: July 15, 2016.
    HHS announces top three-five challenge applicants and launches 
Phase II. Applicants that did not win Phase I will be permitted to 
compete for Phase II: July 30, 2016.
    Deadline for Phase II Submissions: September 30, 2016.
    HHS announces grand prize winner: October 15, 2016 (tentative).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mindy Hangsleben, (410) 786-6954 for 
general information. Stan Ostrow, (410) 786-7207 for inquiry on 
Information Systems Group.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (Pub. L. 
114-10, enacted April 16, 2015) (MACRA) requires the Secretary to 
establish a new Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) program, 
which will assist the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in 
accelerating the transition from the traditional fee-for-service 
payment model to a system that rewards health care providers for value 
rather than volume of services provided. The MIPS program combines 
parts of the Physician Quality Reporting System, the Value Modifier (VM 
or Value-based Payment Modifier), and the Medicare Electronic Health 
Record (EHR) Incentive Program into one single program that assesses 
the performance of MIPS eligible clinicians based on four performance 
categories: (1) Quality, (2) Resource use, (3) Clinical practice 
improvement activities, and (4) Meaningful use of certified EHR 
technology. This program has the potential of impacting 1.2 million 
MIPS clinicians.
    One of the most important aspects and challenges of our program is 
educating and providing outreach to the potential 1.2 million MIPS 
clinicians. Feedback we have received from our customers/end users is 
that they want more real-time information and access to assistance so 
they can successfully report to our programs. Therefore, we are 
launching a MIPS mobile challenge to find innovative ways of improving 
communication to educate physicians, support staff, health organization 
leadership, data vendors, and others impacted parties. Due to the 
multiple user types and facets of the MIPS program we are looking at 
utilizing a mobile platform, which could be a mobile site or 
application to determine how to best keep our customers/end users 
informed and meet their specific needs. We also want to provide the 
capability to access assistance to help MIPS clinicians learn and get 
help with specific areas. This challenge has the potential to make a 
significant impact as not only are there 1.2 million MIPS clinicians 
but also millions of people who support the success of these MIPS 
clinicians. Having key information and access to the right support at 
the right time reduces burden and provides increased satisfaction for 
the MIPS clinicians and their supporting entities. The challenge will 
run in the two phases listed below in this section. Phase I 
participants can move onto phase II even if their phase I design was 
not selected. The focus of the two phases are as follows:
     Phase I: Creation of an initial mobile platform that will 
feature innovative ways of transmitting educational materials or 
fostering collaboration amongst users to provide meaningful education. 
This will entail creating wireframes, storyboards, mobile screen mock-
ups and initial usability testing focused on the design and user 
experience. In addition, participants will co-design with users to 
understand their needs to influence their submission.
     Phase II: Development and functional integration of any 
features from Phase I, and user experience testing. During this phase, 
the participants must submit the object and source code, as well as a 
detailed description showing that the output meets section 508 
compliance per the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as 
amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-220, 
enacted August 7, 1998) (WIA) including at least instructions on how to 
install and operate, and system requirements for running the mobile 
platform. Participants may submit, as part of the submission, 
additional software documentation, if they believe it provides a more 
complete description of the mobile platforms.

[[Page 26566]]

II. Provisions of the Notice

A. Subject of Challenge Competition: MIPS Mobile Challenge

1. Eligibility Rules for Participating in the Competition
    To be eligible to win a prize under this challenge, participants 
(individual or entity) must comply with each and every rule set forth 
in this section:
    1. Shall register to participate in the competition under the rules 
promulgated below by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
    2. In the case of a private entity, shall be incorporated in and 
maintain a primary place of business in the United States, and in the 
case of an individual, whether participating individually or in a 
group, shall be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
    3. HHS Employees may participate in the MIPS Mobile Challenge, but 
may not submit in the scope of their employment and may not pursue an 
application while in the federal workplace or while on duty.
    4. Shall not be an employee of the CMS.
    5. Federal grantees may not use federal funds to develop the 
America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-358, enacted 
January 4, 2011) (COMPETES Act) challenge applications unless 
consistent with the purpose of their grant award.
    6. Federal contractors may not use federal funds from a contract to 
develop COMPETES Act challenge applications or to fund efforts in 
support of a COMPETES Act challenge submission.
    7. Applicants must agree to provide the federal government an 
irrevocable, royalty-free, non-exclusive worldwide license in the 
winning work(s) or component parts thereof, in the event that they are 
prize winner(s). HHS shall be granted the rights to reproduce, 
distribute copies to the public, publicly display, create derivative 
works, and publicly post, link to, and share the winning work(s) or 
parts thereof.
    A submission may be disqualified if, in CMS's sole judgment:
     Fails to function as expressed in the detailed 
description,
     The detailed description is significantly inaccurate or 
incomplete, or
     Malware or other security threats are present.
    Participants agree that we may conduct testing on the submitted 
code to determine whether malware or other security threats may be 
present such that they may damage the equipment or operating 
environments of the Federal Government or those acting on its behalf.
    An individual or entity shall not be deemed ineligible because the 
individual or entity used federal facilities or consulted with federal 
employees during a competition if the facilities and employees are made 
available to all individuals and entities participating in the 
competition on an equitable basis.
    Challenge participants will sign a liability release as part of the 
contest registration process. The liability release will use the 
following language:
    By participating in this competition, I agree to assume any and all 
risks and waive claims against the federal government and its related 
entities, except in the case of willing misconduct, for any injury, 
death, damage, or loss of property, revenue, or profits, whether 
direct, indirect, or consequential, arising from my participation in 
this prize contest, whether the injury, death, damage, or loss arises 
through negligence or otherwise.

B. Registration Process for Participants

1. Amount of the Prize
    The top 3 to 5 winners for phase I of the challenge will be 
provided a monetary cash prize totaling $10,000 per winner. The Phase 
II final challenge winner will be provided a monetary cash prize 
totaling $25,000.
2. How Winners Are Selected
    Challenge submissions will be judged by a panel selected by CMS 
with relevant expertise in current CMS reporting systems. The expert 
panel of judges, qualified by training and experience, will evaluate 
the submissions on the criteria identified below in this section. 
Judges will be fair and impartial, may not have a personal or financial 
interest in, or be an employee, officer, director, or agent of, any 
entity that is a registered participant in the competition, and may not 
have a personal or financial relationship with an individual who is a 
registered contestant. The panel will provide expert advice on the 
merits of each submission to CMS officials responsible for final 
selections for award. Awardees will be notified on or around the dates 
listed in the ``Date'' section. Winners will be selected based on the 
following criteria:
  Phase 1
    ++ Ease in which a user can navigate Usability and Design;
    ++ Evidence of design with User feedback;
    ++ Innovation in Design; and
    ++ Look and Feel.
  Phase 2
    ++ Ease in which a user can navigate Usability and Design;
    ++ Evidence of design with User feedback;
    ++ Innovation in Design;
    ++ Functionality/Accuracy; and
    ++ Look and Feel.

C. Additional Information

    Challenge participants will draw from existing information provided 
on www.cms.gov and collaborate directly with health professionals and/
or end users to build their application. The participants will have 
access to www.cms.gov and to end users. Challenge details and 
registration are located at www.challenge.gov.

III. Collection of Information Requirements

    This document does not impose information collection requirements, 
that is, reporting, recordkeeping or third-party disclosure 
requirements. Consequently, there is no need for review by the Office 
of Management and Budget under the authority of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

    Dated: April 20, 2016.
Andrew M. Slavitt,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2016-10301 Filed 5-2-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P