Physicians participating in the electronic health record (EHR) meaningful use program have limited time to meet requirements as attestation deadlines fast approach. Meanwhile, the majority of physicians are struggling to successfully participate in the program.
Physicians participating in meaningful use for the first time
According to the latest numbers from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), nearly one-half of physicians haven’t yet started the meaningful use program.
All physicians—including those who are new to the program this year—have until Feb. 28, 2015, to attest to any 90-day reporting period in 2014 to earn an incentive payment. However, Medicare physicians who are participating in meaningful use for the first time this year must attest by Oct. 1 if they want to avoid a penalty of up to 2 percent in 2015.
A recent rule from CMS allows physicians to use older certified EHR technology, a combination of old and new technology, or just new technology. But the agency’s attestation system won’t be able to process reporting from physicians who aren’t using version 2014 certified EHR technology until mid-October. Unfortunately, this will not allow physicians who are new to the meaningful use program and using older software to avoid a penalty because it is after the Oct. 1 compliance date.
The AMA is aggressively trying to get more time for these physicians by urging CMS to extend the Oct. 1 deadline. This discrepancy has prompted two members of Congress—Reps. Renee Ellmers, R-North Carolina, and Jim Matheson, D-Utah—to send a letter to CMS asking for more time for physicians using older technology to attest.
CMS made several changes to Stage 1 in a rule published in 2012. A complete list of these changes is available in a chart developed by the AMA that outlines Stage 1 and Stage 2 requirements.
Physicians who have participated in meaningful use before
For physicians who have already been participating in the meaningful use program, the deadline to attest to meaningful use is Feb. 28. However, the last day to start reporting is Oct. 3 if they are to meet the 90-day requirement, which must be concluded by Dec. 31.
Meaningful use changes
CMS’ new final rule published this month gives physicians more options to meet meaningful use requirements.
Some physicians will be allowed to use older certified EHR technology, a combination of old and new technology, or just new technology to meet requirements, depending on roadblocks they encountered for implementing new technology. The rule also allows some physicians who were scheduled to meet Stage 2 requirements to continue meeting Stage 1 measures this year.
Read more about who qualifies for these additional options.
However, the final rule didn’t adjust a major problem with the program: the 100 percent pass/fail policy, which places physicians at risk for financial penalties, even if all they fail to meet is a single measure.
Learn more about demonstrating meaningful use on the AMA’s Web page.
In addition to its advocacy around the meaningful use program, the AMA also is calling for an EHR overhaul to make sure this technology has improved usability to meet the needs of physicians and their patients. Learn more about the eight primary challenges and solutions identified by an expert panel, announced last week.
Meaningful use deadlines for physicians to avoid penalties in 2015
- July 1–Sept. 30: The last 90-day reporting period in 2014 for Medicare physicians new to meaningful use program to avoid 2015 penalty
- Oct. 1: The last day for Medicare physicians new to the program to attest to avoid 2015 penalty
- Oct. 3–Dec. 31: The last 90-day reporting period for any Medicare physicians who have participated in meaningful use to obtain 2014 incentive
- Feb. 28: The last day for Medicare physicians who have participated in meaningful use before to attest and obtain 2014 incentive
