On September 14, 2016, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) received CMS’s final rule implementing the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Models established in MACRA.  CMS had previously announced options for physicians to comply with the rapidly approaching effective date of January 1, 2017, in an effort to provide physicians with some flexibility.  These options announced on September 8, 2016, should be in the final rule, which is expected to be published on November 1, 2016. Information regarding the OMB’s review of the final rule is available on OMB’s website.  Our prior Health Headlines article describing the options for physicians to “pick their pace of participation” is available here.