In its final rule release yesterday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have significantly eased requirements for providers planning to adopt, following complaints that regulations were too strict, according to a report by The Hill.
CMS cut the number of "meaningful use" benchmarks providers will have to meet to qualify for federal incentive payments, as well as how often physicians will have to use electronic tools. The changes are aimed at ensuring providers use the equipment to improve patient care, instead of just to qualify for payments.
The final rule says physicians will have to e-prescribe 40 percent of the time to meet requirements, down from 75 percent in the proposed rule. While the proposed rule required physicians to meet 25 set "meaningful use" objectives, the final rule gives physicians 15 core rules and then allows them to pick 10 more from an "a la carte" menu of choices.
The guidelines will apply to 2011 and 2012, the first phase of the transition to EHR.
Read the Hill report on CMS and the final meaningful use rules.
Read more Becker's coverage of recent healthcare IT rulings.
Secretary Sebelius Announces Final Rules of "Meaningful Use" of EHR
CMS cut the number of "meaningful use" benchmarks providers will have to meet to qualify for federal incentive payments, as well as how often physicians will have to use electronic tools. The changes are aimed at ensuring providers use the equipment to improve patient care, instead of just to qualify for payments.
The final rule says physicians will have to e-prescribe 40 percent of the time to meet requirements, down from 75 percent in the proposed rule. While the proposed rule required physicians to meet 25 set "meaningful use" objectives, the final rule gives physicians 15 core rules and then allows them to pick 10 more from an "a la carte" menu of choices.
The guidelines will apply to 2011 and 2012, the first phase of the transition to EHR.
Read the Hill report on CMS and the final meaningful use rules.
Read more Becker's coverage of recent healthcare IT rulings.
Secretary Sebelius Announces Final Rules of "Meaningful Use" of EHR