In the final rule on meaningful use released August 29th, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and the Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) finalized deadlines that could affect physicians’ bottom lines. Starting in 2015, CMS and ONC will require that all eligible professionals (EP) use the 2014 edition of certified electronic health records technology (CEHRT).
All providers must report based on a full year EHR reporting period rather than on a 90-day period, except those in their first year of demonstrating meaningful use. Eligible professionals who do not meet meaningful use guidelines will be subject to an annual payment adjustment of one percent beginning in 2015.
Important amendments were made to the meaningful use requirements in a proposed rule from CMS earlier this year in May. CMS withdrew a requirement that EPs be updated to the 2014 edition of CEHRT to successfully demonstrate meaningful use for stage 1 or stage 2 in 2014, and allowed them to keep using the 2011 edition, or a combination of the 2011 and 2014 editions, in their 2014 reporting period. There are also delays to the requirements of full adoption for stage 2 and stage 3.
Eligible providers can use 2011 or 2011-2014 combination CEHRT in 2014 according to the new final rule. Providers who started meaningful use in 2011 and 2014 have until 2016 for adoption of stage 2 and until 2017 for stage 3. This is also true for those who started the program in 2013.
However, CMS decided against extending its CEHRT break through 2015.