What's New in 2026
This page summarizes substantive changes to the traditional MIPS program as they apply to optometry and ophthalmology. The information presented here is not intended to be comprehensive. Refer to the individual measure topics for specifics. Here's what's new this performance year:
General Changes
- Beginning in 2025, optometrists and op hthalmologists became eligible—but not required—to participate in the MVP (MIPS Value Pathways) program. That status has not changed in 2026, but Eyefinity will begin rolling out information about MVP in the coming weeks.
Quality Changes
- Claims-based reporting for 141. Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma (POAG): Reduction of Intraocular Pressure (IOP) by 20% or Documentation of a Plan of Care is no longer topped out. This means this reporting method is no longer capped at a maximum of 7 points.
Promoting Interoperability Changes
- For the High Priority Practices Guide of the Safety Assurance Factors for EHR Resilience (SAFER) Guides measure, you're now required to use the 2025 High Priority Practices SAFER Guide. Previously, you could rely on older versions of the SAFER guide.
- CMS updated the Security Risk Analysis measure to include a second attestation. Clinicians must now also attest “Yes” or “No” to having conducted security risk management activities as required under the risk management component of the HIPAA Security Rule. The measure remains required, and a “No” response will to result in a total score of zero points for the Promoting Interoperability performance category.
- CMS added a new optional public health measured called Public Health Reporting Using the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA).
Improvement Activities Changes
- CMS renamed the Advancing Health Equity (AHE) category to Advancing Health and Wellness (AHW).
- Of the activities Eyefinity recommends, CMS removed the following:
- Create and Implement a Plan to Improve Care for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Patients (IA_AHE_11)
- Vaccine Achievement for Practice Staff: COVID-19, Influenza, and Hepatitis B IA_PM_26
Cost Changes
- New Cost measures now undergo a two-year informational feedback period before being fully implemented. This means that new cost measures will not impact your MIPS performance for the first two years. This two-year period allows everyone time to see how the measures impact their performance.