Medical Billing Blog

ONC and CMS Delay Meaningful Use

Posted by Scott Shatzman on Fri, May, 23, 2014 @ 08:05 AM

9 25 2012 6 40 48 PM resized 600Government officials made a decision this week to issue a rule that would extend the deadline for providers interested in meeting meaningful use requirements. The reprieve, issued jointly by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, would allow providers to use 2011 certification criteria for the 2014 reporting period. In other words, providers who are scheduled to begin Meaningful Use Stage 2 would have the option of using 2014 criteria to attest again to Meaningful Use Stage 1 objectives for the 2014 reporting period, and those working on attesting to Meaningful Use Stage 2 would have until 2016 to meet those objectives. In addition, CMS extends Stage 2 of the program for an additional year--through 2016--and to put off the start of Stage 3 until 2017. Although 2014 Edition technology may be available for adoption, “there is a backlog of many months for the updated version to be installed and implemented so that providers can successfully attest for 2014,” CMS said. “The delay in availability may limit a provider’s ability to fully implement 2014 Edition EHR technology across the facility.”

 

Some Qualifications:

Under stage 2, to qualify for Medicare incentive payments, eligible professionals must meet 17 core objectives and half of the six so-called menu objectives. Eligible hospitals must meet 16 core objectives and half of the 6 menu objectives. 

In Stage 1, providers and hospitals had to meet 15 core objectives and half of the 10 menu objectives. 

Providers also have to meet nine out of 64 clinical quality measures, and eligible hospitals 16 out of 29 CQMs. 

In order to qualify for stage 2, providers must also order at least 30 percent of radiology, 30 percent of labs and 60 percent of medication through a computerized order entry.