Having problems uploading a MIPS data file successfully to the MIPS portal? You can minimize the number of rejected fields by avoiding these common mistakes.


Note:  We strongly recommend you download and use the ACR template each time you prepare data for upload. Doing so ensures you have the latest version of the template and automatically creates a file that meets the file naming convention. See Data Upload File Specifications and Template for more details.

Error type

Correction

Example/Comments

All records are invalid

Download log file and view error messages in column P and fix error.


See Reviewing MIPS Quality Measure Data

If one or more records in your MIPS data File were rejected, a log file is created and can be downloaded.


The log is an Excel spreadsheet copy of the original data file with an Error column P, specifying the errors encountered. Review and correct each error, save the updated data to a new file, and attempt the upload again.

Incorrect file name

File naming convention is 

mips_yyyymmdd-hrmiss (or)

mips_yyyymmdd-hrmiss<optional text>


<optional text> can be any text up to 15 characters. You may use this space for versioning purposes.

For example: mips_20261221-181224-version2.xlsx


Note: The file name will change after it is uploaded to the MIPS portal. Either physician TIN or NPI will become part of the file name.

Exam Date is required.

This is a required field. There are two acceptable formats: exam date and time or just date.

We accept two formats:

1) <mm/dd/yyyy><space><hr:mi:ss> in military time format, or

2) <mm/dd/yyyy> e.g. 07/17/2017

Physician NPI: [1234567890] is not registered yet or invalid.

Physician has not completed required MIPS portal registration. This is a separate registration process from enrolling your physicians in MIPS under the Manage Physician page.


Be sure this physician is included under your Manage Physician tab in NRDR.

Physician(s) must complete MIPS portal registration before data files can be uploaded successfully (learn more here).


Interested in registering many physicians at once? Contact the NRDR Help Desk and ask for assistance with Physician Registration for the MIPS portal.

Invalid Physician Group TIN[1234567989] and Physician NPI [1234567890] combination

Check Manage Physicians to be sure we have an NPI and TIN for each physician record.



TINs with a leading zero will cause errors when using the Excel template.


Check this information under Manage Physicians.

For MIPS, it is mandatory to associate each participating physician to a TIN for each registry to be used. 


If physicians are missing TIN and/or registries on the Manage Physician tab, please use the Manage Physician Template to update your information.


If using the Excel template, make sure to enter TINs as text values by adding a single quotation mark - e.g. '012345678.

Numerator Response Value Required

This is a required field; refer to detailed specifications for the appropriate numerator response value.



See MIPS Quality Measure Specifications.

Enter the code indicating whether performance was met OR, performance was not met OR the patient is excluded (medical, patient or system exclusion).


For example, a valid response for measure 436 would be G9637.


See tab Numerators Ref Data MIPS Measure Code List

Denominator Diagnosis Code is not available for this measure number.

Not all MIPS measures require a diagnosis code. To fix this error remove information from this column in your MIPS data file.


See Diagnosis Codes Ref Data MIPS Measure Code List

Several MIPS measures and QCDR measures require either an ICD-10 diagnosis code, or a "secondary" code which augments the denominator CPT coding. Refer to the measure specifications to determine whether a measure may be rejecting due to missing or invalid secondary/diagnosis codes.


These codes should be included under the "Secondary Denominator Info

CPT Code is invalid

See CPT codes Ref Data MIPS Measure Code List

Some MIPS measures require both a CPT code and an additional G-code, which represents a denominator element not capturable by CPT code alone. For example, measures 364, 405 and 406 require both a CPT code and a G-code representing an incidental finding. In the Excel template, these should be joined by an ampersand (&) in the Denominator CPT column. 


In the case of measure 405, one valid code set is 74150 & G9547