While many providers have worked toward attestation of Meaningful Use in accordance with standards from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, there is an equal amount who have struggled with the program. Issues with EHR software vendors and patient engagement strategies have made it hard to meet the rigid requirements from CMS.
This led to multiple workgroups urging CMS to amend the reporting period in 2015 and ease pressure on practices that had fallen behind on Meaningful Use. After weeks of petitioning, the agency has finally responded.
CMS shifting its stance on MU
HealthcareITNews reported that the federal agency has announced its willingness to relax on the reporting requirements of Meaningful Use for the EHR Incentive Programs. Because many physicians and hospitals have viewed it as a burden, CMS has proposed a new rule that could shorten the 2015 MU reporting period to 90 days.
Numerous CIOs and care organizations had been pushing for reductions, even going so far as to deliver recommendations in person before the U.S. Congress during National Health IT Week in September 2014. Among their leading concerns were interoperability standards and adding more flexibility to Stage 2 reporting.
CMS is considering changes to the Meaningful Use program itself in addition to the 90-day reporting period. These amendments include:
- Realigning hospital reporting windows to calendar years to allow eligible facilities more time to use 2014 Edition EHR software
- Tweaking other aspects of programs to match long-term goals and reduce complexity of the reporting period.
Fixing the MU process for providers, hospitals
While it is encouraging that CMS announced its intentions to reexamine the Meaningful Use reporting period, it is far from a promise that changes will be implemented immediately. In a statement from Patrick Conway, M.D., deputy administrator for Innovation and Quality and chief medical officer, the agency outlined its goals for the year, EHRIntelligence reported.
CMS is working on multiple measures to bring the Meaningful Use program in line with responses from industry stakeholders. However, the announcement merely expresses their intent to pursue changes. In addition, changing the reporting period is separate from proposed rules for Stage 3 in 2017 that would limit the scope of criteria for Meaningful Use.
Overall, CMS is cognizant of providers' resistance to current Meaningful Use measures and is focusing on changing its existing standards to be more flexible. Stakeholders now have to wait and see how effective these amendments are at reworking the program.
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Ronny Bachrach
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