CMS to Change Meaningful Use Requirements

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on January 29 its intent to update the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs requirements for 2015. Proposed changes will reduce the reporting period for Eligible Providers in 2015 from one year to 90 days.

“These intended changes would help to reduce the reporting burden on providers, while supporting the long term goals of the program,” said Patrick Conway, MD, deputy administrator for innovation and quality and the chief medical officer for CMS, in a blog post.

The new rule is expected to go into effect in the spring to address provider concerns about software implementation and information exchange readiness. Conway clarified that this new rule is separate from the proposed rule to implement Stage 3 of the Meaningful Use program, due in March.

“CMS intends to limit the scope of the Stage 3 proposed rule to the requirements and criteria for meaningful use in 2017 and subsequent years,” said Conway.

Eligible Providers should continue to prepare to meet 2015 Meaningful Use requirements including the implementation of Patient Portal and Immunization Registry and Syndromic Surveillance data exchange. Practice Velocity provides the EMR features, integrated functionality and provider specific reports required for Meaningful Use attestation.