Articles and Blogs

This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) announced its intent to reopen the submission period for hardship exception applications for eligible professionals and hospitals participating in the Medicare Meaningful Use Program in order to avoid the 2015 Medicare payment adjustments for not demonstrating meaningful use of Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (“CEHRT”).... READ MORE

The Meaningful Use Workgroup provided its recommendations on Meaningful Use Stage 3 to the Health IT Policy Committee on February 4.  Stage 3 would focus on improving outcomes.  Further discussion of the recommendations will be held on February 14.  The proposed timeline sets proposed rulemaking for fall 2014 and final rulemaking for the first half of 2015. ... READ MORE

CMS announced last week that it is extending the deadline for eligible professionals to attest to meaningful use for the Medicare Electronic Health Record (“EHR”) Incentive Program 2013 reporting year from 11:59 PM ET on February 28, 2014 to 11:59 PM ET March 31, 2014.  This extension will allow more time for eligible professionals to submit their meaningful... READ MORE

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) published important payment adjustment information this week for health care providers participating in the Medicare Electronic Health Records Incentive Program (“Incentive Program”). Eligible Professionals (“EPs”) participating in the Incentive Program may be subject to payment adjustments beginning January 1, 2015. CMS will determine the payment adjustment based on meaningful use data submitted prior... READ MORE

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (“ONC”) has announced a webinar regarding the proposed regulatory timeline for electronic health record (“EHR”) certification criteria for 2015.  The webinar will take place on Wednesday, December 18 at 4:30 PM and is scheduled to last 30 minutes.  You can register here. If you... READ MORE

CMS has indicated that it intends to extend Stage 2 of meaningful use attestation under the Medicare/Medicaid Electronic Health Record (“EHR”) Incentive Program.  In a recent blog post, CMS states that the new or modified Stage 3 requirements for becoming a meaningful user of a certified EHR technology will not be effective until 2017... READ MORE

This month, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) announced it is redefining the 2014 certification criteria for Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (“CEHRT”) for the Meaningful Use Incentive Program. The previous 2011 CEHRT criteria required that eligible providers have complete CEHRT capable of meeting all certification criteria for an inpatient or ambulatory... READ MORE

If you are facing a meaningful use audit, you are not alone.  Medicare private contractors are out in force as they carefully review supporting documentation for a meaningful use attestation.  Providers who are utilizing a certified electronic health record (“EHR”) technology may find surprising challenges as they attempt to extract necessary information from the... READ MORE

On August 1, 2013, bill H.R. 2957 was introduced to the House of Representatives, which would extend health information technology meaningful use incentives to behavioral health, mental health and substance abuse professionals and facilities.  The term “additional eligible professional” would be added to meaningful use legislation to cover clinical psychologists providing qualified psychologist services. ... READ MORE

Under the Meaningful Use Stage 2 Measures both Eligible Professionals and Eligible Hospitals must use Computerized Provider Order Entry (“CPOE”) for medication, laboratory and radiology orders directly entered by any licensed health care professional who can enter orders into the medical record per state, local and professional guidelines.  Previously, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid... READ MORE