81 FR 46081 - Medicare Program; Announcement of Requirements and Registration for the MIPS Mobile Challenge; Deadline Extension

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

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 136 (July 15, 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 providing 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 hundreds of thousands of MIPS eligible clinicians.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 136 (Friday, July 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46081-46083]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-16808]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

[CMS-3333-N2]


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

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 providing 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 hundreds of thousands of 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 www.challenge.gov April 25, 2016.
    Deadline for Phase I Submissions: August 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: August 30, 2016.
    Deadline for Phase II Submissions: October 31, 2016.
    HHS announces grand prize winner: November 15, 2016 (tentative).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  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

[[Page 46082]]

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 hundreds of 
thousands of MIPS eligible clinicians.
    One of the most important aspects and challenges of our program is 
educating and providing outreach to the potential hundreds of thousands 
of MIPS eligible 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 eligible clinicians 
learn and get help with specific areas. This challenge has the 
potential to make a significant impact as not only are there hundreds 
of thousands of MIPS eligible clinicians but also millions of people 
who support the success of these MIPS eligible clinicians. Having key 
information and access to the right support at the right time reduces 
burden and provides increased satisfaction for the MIPS eligible 
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 among 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 end 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.

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. Selection Process for Participants

1. Amount of the Prize
    The top three to five 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 Will Be Selected
    Challenge submissions will be judged by a panel selected by CMS 
with relevant expertise in current CMS

[[Page 46083]]

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: June 29, 2016.
Andrew M. Slavitt,
Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2016-16808 Filed 7-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P