California Healthcare Intel

(missing).

The MIPS cost performance category is calculated retrospectively by CMS using attributed Medicare claims; clinicians cannot directly affect what is attributed. The two attribution methods (TPCC and MSPB) capture different beneficiary cohorts. Practices that try to "manage" cost without understanding which patients are attributed to which clinician typically waste effort.

Across most payors, the top-five denial reasons account for over 80% of prior-auth rejections: missing clinical documentation, wrong CPT/HCPCS code, service not in benefit plan, step-therapy not completed, and ordering provider not on the patient's plan. The same five repeat across plans because they are the easiest to deny on automation.

Three application defects routinely delay payor enrollment: incomplete work-history explanations for any gap over 30 days, a malpractice carrier-history that does not reconcile with the explanation, and CAQH attestation that has lapsed. Each forces a back-and-forth with the credentialing committee.