Proposed Delay of Stage 2 of Meaningful Use

Proposed Meaningful Use Timeline Changes Encourage Adoption of EHRs

In response to significant input from multiple stakeholders, expert testimony, and countless hours of review, analysis and deliberation, HHS announced its intention to delay the start of Stage 2 meaningful use for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs for a period of one year for those first attesting to meaningful use in 2011. CMS intends to propose such a delay in the Stage 2 meaningful use Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), which is scheduled to be published in February 2012.

Why Did We Make this Decision?

Input from the vendor community and the provider community makes clear that the current schedule for compliance with Stage 2 meaningful use objectives in 2013 poses a challenge for those who are attesting to meaningful use in 2011.

The current timetable would require EHR vendors to design, develop, and release new functionality, and for providers to upgrade, implement, and begin using the new functionality as early as October 2012.

 

What are the Benefits to the Proposed Delay? 

We believe that a proposed delay will be beneficial for several reasons:

• We hope that this will give vendors added time to develop certified EHR technologies for Stage 2, as well as give providers additional time to implement new software and meet the new requirements of Stage 2.

• We also intend to propose maintaining the current expectation for those first attesting to meaningful use in 2012, so that all providers attesting to meaningful use in 2011 or 2012 will begin Stage 2 in 2014.

• We believe this provides an added incentive for providers to attest to meaningful use in 2011 and rewards early participants.

Under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, providers who attest early receive greater incentives. And now those providers who first attest in 2011 are eligible for three payment years for meeting the Stage 1 criteria, while those first attesting in 2012 can only have two payment years under Stage 1 criteria.

Are Medicaid Program Participants Affected?

Because Medicaid providers can receive an incentive payment for adopting, implementing, or upgrading to certified EHR technology in their first year of Medicaid EHR Incentive Program participation, Medicaid providers will still be able to attest to Stage 1 meaningful use for the next two years (first for a 90-day period, then for a 365-day period). 

Therefore, most Medicaid providers do not attest to Stage 2 requirements until 2014 at the earliest.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?

Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs. 

CMS has a New Data and Reports Web Page for the EHR Incentive Programs

New Web Page Provides Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs Payment and Registration Data

CMS has created a new web page where you can find Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program payment and registration data. The page includes up-to-date information about the programs through October 2011. The new web page will be your resource for updates regarding the programs' registration, payment, and state Medicaid launches.

Overview of Content on the Data and Reports Page

The web page includes the following information:

• A Map that Illustrates a State Breakdown of Payments to Medicare and Medicaid Providers


• A Map that Illustrates a State Breakdown of Registration by Medicaid and Medicare Providers


• A Map that Illustrates a State Breakdown of Registration by Medicare Providers


• A Map that Illustrates a State Breakdown of Registration by Medicaid Providers


• Individual State Report of Registrants and Payments


• Updates on State Launches of Medicaid EHR Program


• List of Recipients of Medicare EHR Incentive Program Payments

You can use the maps to see how your state compares to others in registration and paymenttotals for the EHR Incentive Programs. 

 

October Highlights 

Below are some highlights about the EHR Incentive Programs from data through October 2011 that are now featured on the new page:

• Over 135,000 Medicare and Medicaid providers have registered for the programs


• Over $525 million in Medicare payments have been provided to eligible professionals and eligible hospitals


• Over $710 million in Medicaid payment have been provided to eligible professionals and eligible hospitals

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?

Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs. 

New Interactive Guide for EPs in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program

Take a Look at CMS’ New Medicare EHR Incentive Program Guide for Eligible Professionals (EPs)

CMS has created a new comprehensive tool, An Introduction to the Medicare EHR Incentive Program for Eligible Professionals, to help guide EPs through all of the phases of the Medicare EHR Incentive Program—from eligibility and registration to attestation and payment. Chapters provide information on:

• EHR Incentive Program basics


• How to participate (determining eligibility and registration)


• Meaningful use and choosing measures


• Attestation


• Helpful resources on the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs

The guide is interactive. Users can click on sections of the Table of Contents to learn more about specific areas of the program. Interactive tabs are also included at the bottom of each page where users can jump from chapter to chapter. Additionally, each section provides readers with user-friendly screen shots, charts, and links to the CMS website.

Note: If a user prefers a hard copy document, the guide can also be printed. Links are written out and hyperlinked throughout the guide.

The guide can be found on the Educational Materials section of the EHR website, along with several other helpful tools and resources for participants in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?

Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs.