The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has awarded a contract to Qsource to help small practices in Tennessee and Alabama prepare for and participate in the new Quality Payment Program, established by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA).

This technical assistance, authorized and funded under MACRA, brings direct support to thousands of Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians in small practices with 15 or fewer clinicians, including small practices in rural locations, health professional shortage areas, and medically underserved areas across the country. The direct technical assistance is available immediately, free to all MIPS eligible clinicians, and will deliver support for up to a five-year period.

Dawn FitzGerald, Qsource's chief executive officer, emphasized the significance of the award in terms of the tailored training and education her organization will be able to provide small and even solo physician offices.

Qsource will provide customized technical assistance to MIPS eligible clinicians as a part of the Small, Underserved and Rural Support (SURS) program, which may include, but is not limited to, the following:

• Conveying the MIPS expectations and timelines - Explaining the MIPS feedback report - Creating a MIPS-score improvement plan - Evaluating practice readiness for joining an Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM)
• Assessing and optimizing Health Information Technology - Supporting change management and strategic planning - Developing and disseminating education and training materials - Enabling peer-to-peer learning and local partnerships

Qsource can be contacted by email at media@qsource.org. For more information on the Quality Payment Program, visit qpp.cms.gov or contact the Quality Payment Program by emailing qpp@cms.hhs.gov.