January 2026 Newsletter
Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season! We’re excited to share that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has officially recognized, AffordableQR, for the 8th year in a row, as a CMS‑qualified registry for 2026! This means we’ll continue to help you submit your quality data with confidence and ease.
2025 Data Deadline
Please ensure all of your 2025 data is submitted to AffordableQR by February 10, 2026. Meeting this deadline helps us keep everything on track for your reporting success.
The 2026 Reporting Year Has Begun!
While final data for 2025 has not yet been submitted, Quarter 1 for the 2026 reporting year is officially underway! We’ve sent out emails to help you schedule your planning meetings. Haven’t booked yours yet? Please do so soon. Can’t find the email? No problem—just reach out to your AffordableQR Representative and we’ll get you scheduled.
Changes for 2026!
CMS has finalized some important updates for 2026. Here are the highlights:
MIPS Updates
- 5 new quality measures added, 30 updated, and 10 removed.
- Changes to the APM Performance Pathway for better alignment with MIPS.
- A two-year feedback-only period for new cost measures (no scoring impact until 2028).
- Improvement Activities refreshed: 3 new, 7 revised, and 8 removed.
- Some Promoting Interoperability measures suppressed, including Electronic Case Reporting.
- Performance threshold stays at 75 points through 2028.
MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs)
- 6 new MVPs introduced: diagnostic radiology, interventional radiology, neuropsychology, pathology, podiatry, and vascular surgery.
- All 21 existing MVPs have been updated.
- Groups now self-attest to specialty type rather than CMS assigning it.
- Small multispecialty practices (15 or fewer clinicians) can still report as a group; larger ones need subgroups or individual reporting.
Advanced APMs & Alignment
- APP and APM pathways adjusted for consistency.
- Continued focus on digital reporting and patient-reported outcomes.
AffordableQR is ready to help you navigate these changes. From new measures to MVP selection and attestation, we’ll make sure you’re prepared and supported every step of the way.
Next Steps
- Schedule your Q1 planning meeting if you haven’t already.
- Review your MVP options and attestation plan.
- Get ready for updated measures and activities.
- Submit your 2025 data by February 10, 2026.
We’re here to make this process as smooth as possible—let’s start the year strong!
