Quality Payment Program Small Practices Newsletter: December 2025
Quality Payment Program Small Practices Newsletter: December 2025
The Quality Payment Program (QPP) Small Practices Newsletter is a monthly resource that provides small practices (15 or fewer clinicians) with program updates, upcoming QPP milestones, and resources to support their continued participation and success in QPP. We send this newsletter on the second Tuesday of each month.
Please share this newsletter with your fellow clinicians and practice staff and encourage them to sign up to receive this monthly resource.
At-a-Glance: Required and Recommended Activities for Successful Participation in QPP
Each month, we share required and recommended activities for small practices to support their successful participation in QPP. The activities follow a rolling quarter approach, letting you see activities for the previous month, the current month, and the following month.
We’ve updated your eligibility status based on our review of Medicare Part B claims and Medicare Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS) data from the second segment of the MIPS Eligibility Determination Period (October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025).
This status is final unless you participate in an Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM) and your Qualifying APM Participant (QP) status changes as a result of the third APM Snapshot for the 2025 performance year.
Results from the third APM Snapshot will also be available in December 2025 and will be announced through the QPP listserv.
NOTE: We’re updating results for the rural special status in the next few weeks based on the most recent Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) Eligible ZIP code file available. Please check back at the end of December to confirm whether you have the rural special status for 2025.
Clinicians and groups that aren’t eligible for MIPS can still choose to report data via traditional MIPS. Clinicians and groups who are identified as “opt-in eligible” on the QPP Participation Status Tool and want to report data can:
Elect to Opt-in to MIPS. You’ll receive a MIPS payment adjustment (positive, negative, or neutral).
Elect to Voluntarily Report. You won’t receive a MIPS payment adjustment.
Once made, your election is binding and irreversible.
If you don’t want to report, you don’t have to make an election. Opt-in eligible clinicians and groups aren’t required to participate.
Confirm Access to Healthcare Quality Information System (HCQIS) Roles and Profile Account (HARP)
In preparation for the 2024 performance year data submission period, which opens on January2,2026,we encourage you to sign in to the QPP website with your existing HARP account to ensure you don’t lose access.
If you don’t already have a HARP account and QPP role, please create one. For more information on how to create a HARP account and user profile, review the QPP Access User Guide (ZIP, 4 MB). For a video walking you through the HARP registration process, visit the HARP YouTube playlist.
If you have a HARP account, confirm that you can access your account. If you’ve forgotten your user ID or password, you can review the HARP Password Reset video for more information on how to regain access to your account.
Upcoming QPP Service Center Hold Times
Due to the opening of the 2025 MIPS data submission period, the QPP Service Center is projecting an increase in volume between January 2, 2026, and March 31, 2026, which could result in longer wait times.
CMS recommends the following to minimize wait times and ensure successful 2024 data submission:
Did you know? . . .
You can request support by clicking on Schedule a Call
You can also submit a ticket for support by clicking on Request Support.
Live Chat: CCSQ Support Central Chat and Resource Line (CARL)
The Support Central Chat feature, CARL, is another option to use for assistance. To contact the Service Center via Chat, go to the CCSQ Support Central page and click on the Chat icon in the lower right corner:
Use One Method to Report Issues
Due to the anticipated increase in volume at the QPP Service Center and to minimize backlog, please use only one method of reporting for the same issue (email, phone, or CCSQ Support Central). Note: Cases are processed in the order in which they are received, regardless of how the Service Center was contacted. Please allow time for processing.
Submit Your Data Early
We encourage you to submit your 2025 MIPS performance period data early during the submission period. Early submission will allow you plenty of time for Service Center assistance if needed.
The 2025 Quality Payment Program (QPP) Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Exception application is available now through December31,2025, at 8p.m.ET. This application allows users to indicate the reason they’re unable to report data for one or more MIPS performance categories.
How to Apply
To submit an EUC exception application:
Sign in to the QPP website with your Health Care Quality Information System (HCQIS) Access Roles and Profile (HARP) account.
Choose “Exceptions Application” from the left-hand navigation.
Click “Add New QPP Exception” on the right side of the screen.
Choose “Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Exception.”
The 2026 virtual group election period is still open. Solo practitioners and groups with 10 or fewer clinicians interested in this traditional MIPS participation optioncan submit or modify their election for the 2026 performance period via email at MIPS_VirtualGroups@cms.hhs.gov.
The following elements must be included in an election:
Acknowledgment that a formal written agreement has been established between each Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) within the virtual group
The name and contact information for the official virtual group representative
The name and TIN for each practice and all associated National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) under each TIN
The election period closes on December31,2025, at 11:59p.m.ET.
Share your feedback on what you like most about the Small Practices Newsletter, what can be improved, and/or what topics you would like to see addressed. Please include “Small Practices Newsletter” in the email subject line.
Contact the QPP Service Center by email at QPP@cms.hhs.gov, by creating a QPP Service Center ticket, or by phone at 1‑866‑288‑8292 (Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. ET).
To receive assistance more quickly, please consider calling during non-peak hours — before 10 a.m. ET and after 2 p.m. ET.
People who are deaf or hard of hearing can dial 711 to be connected to a Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) Communications Assistant.
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