CMS Extends Eligible Professional MU Attestation Deadline until March 31, 2014

February 10, 2014March 12, 2014 Kathie McDonald-McClure Electronic Health Records, Eligible Professional Incentives, Health Information Technology, HITECH Law, Hospital EHR Incentives, Meaningful Use Eligible Hospital Meaningful Use Attestation Retroactive Submission, Eligible Professional Meaningful Use Attestation Extension

On Friday, February 7, 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an extension until 11:59 pm on March 31, 2014 for Eligible Professionals to submit their 2013 EHR Meaningful Use (MU) attestation. In addition, Eligible Hospitals that had trouble submitting their 2013 MU attestation may be able to retroactively submit their attestation to avoid the 2015 payment adjustment but must contact CMS by March 15, 2014 at 11:59 pm to do so. Note that only the attestation deadline is being moved. The requirement to meet MU by September 30, 2013 for Eligible Hospitals and by December 31, 2013 for Eligible Professionals in order to avoid the 2015 payment adjustment is not affected.

(We would provide a link to this CMS announcement but it currently is not readily available on the CMS EHR Incentive Program website and, in fact, CMS has not yet updated the EP deadline on its home page for the Program. When and if additional details become available on the CMS webpage, we’ll post it here!)

Health Care Providers Need Not Meet Meaningful Use This Year to Remain Eligible for EHR Incentive Payments Next Year!

January 28, 2014March 12, 2014 Kathie McDonald-McClure Electronic Health Records, Eligible Professional Incentives, Health care reform, HITECH Law, Hospital EHR Incentives, Meaningful Use CMS EHR Meaningful Use Program, CMS Meaningful Use FAQs, EHR Incentive Program Payment Qualifications, HITECH Act

The Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Program was implemented by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) pursuant to the Health Information Technology for Clinical and Economic Health Act of 2009 (HITECH). This Program provides incentive payments to Eligible Hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals and Eligible Providers (collectively, “eligible providers”) who make a Meaningful Use (MU) of certified EHRs. Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) No. 9920 issued in November 2013 by CMS about the EHR Incentive Program deals with whether providers must participate in the Program every year in order to stay eligible for the incentives. FAQ 9920 clarifies that eligible providers do not have to meet MU in the prior year to be eligible for EHR incentives the following year. Continue reading →

CMS Extends Stage 2 Meaningful Use through 2016

December 6, 2013March 12, 2014 Kathie McDonald-McClure EHR Certification Standards, Electronic Health Records, Eligible Professional Incentives, Health Information Technology, HITECH Law, Hospital EHR Incentives, Meaningful Use EHR Certification Standards, EHR Stage 2 MU, Electronic Health Records, eligible professional EHR incentives, HITECH Act, hospital EHR incentives, meaningful use of certified EHR

On Friday, November 6, 2013, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of National Coordinator of Health Information Technology (ONC) announced its proposal to extend the timeline by which eligible healthcare providers must demonstrate a “meaningful use” (MU) of a certified electronic health record (EHR) in compliance with the MU Stage 2 criteria set forth in regulations issued pursuant to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009. Originally, eligible providers who demonstrated Stage 1 MU by the end of 2013 would have had to demonstrate at least 3 months of Stage 2 MU by September 30, 2014 for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) and by December 31, 2014 for eligible professionals, do one more year of Stage 2 in 2015, and then move to Stage 3 by 2016. The CMS – ONC apparently will give all eligible providers more time to stay in Stage 2, stating: “Under the revised timeline, Stage 2 will be extended through 2016 and Stage 3 will begin in 2017 for those providers that have completed at least two years in Stage 2.” In essence, the start of Stage 3 is being delayed and, apparently (pending further rule making), nothing else.

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Lessons Learned from Meaningful Use Audits

December 5, 2013March 12, 2014 Margaret Young Levi Electronic Health Records, Eligible Professional Incentives, Health Information Technology, HITECH Law, Hospital EHR Incentives, Meaningful Use hospital incentives for EHRs, meaningful use audits, meaningful use security risk assessment

HITECH Act meaningful use auditor
By Margaret Levi and Kathie McDonald-McClure

As we previously reported in a blog post on September 24, 2013, an eligible professional, eligible hospital, or critical access hospital receiving an incentive payment for the meaningful use (MU) of electronic health records (EHRs) will likely be subject to a stringent audit from either Medicare or Medicaid. The fact that these MU audits are underway is now fully evident.

We have heard from several sources that CMS auditors are hitting Tennessee and Kentucky hospitals and physician practices and demanding repayment of meaningful use incentive monies if providers cannot fully back up their attestations for Stage 1 compliance in every respect.

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November 30th Meaningful Use Deadline for Hospitals

November 27, 2013March 12, 2014 Margaret Young Levi Electronic Health Records, Health Information Technology, HITECH Law, Hospital EHR Incentives, Meaningful Use Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, EHR, eligible hospitals, hospital incentives for EHRs, Incentive Program, linkedin, Meaningful Use, Medicare Electronic Health Record

Saturday, November 30, 2013, is the last day for hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) to register and attest to receive an incentive payment for FY2013 under the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program. In the flurry of Thanksgiving activities, holiday travel and Black Friday shopping, don’t forget to take advantage of this deal. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted a reminder of these deadlines on its Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Program Registration & Attestation System webpage.
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