CMS has released a proposed rule that would change reporting requirements for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program to a 90-day period instead of the current one-year reporting period.
The proposed rule seeks to better align current measures of meaningful use stage 1 and stage 2 with the proposed meaningful use stage 3 requirements. It also aims to reduce the burden and duplication of reporting requirements.
CMS proposes to align reporting requirements for the next two years with those proposed for stage 3. This means reporting periods would follow the calendar year for 2015 and 2016 instead of the fiscal year, which is how reports are currently submitted.
Additionally, for 2015 and 2016, CMS proposes to allow new meaningful use participants to attest with any 90-day period within the calendar year. For 2015 only, CMS proposes allowing eligible professionals, hospitals and critical access hospitals to attest with an EHR reporting period of any continuous 90-day period between Oct. 1, 2014 and Dec. 31, 2015, regardless of prior participation in the program.
Then, in 2016, CMS proposes all EPs, EHs and critical access hospitals who are first time attesters may use an EHR reporting period of any continuous 90-day period between Jan. 1, 2016 and Dec. 31, 2016.
Starting 2017, all providers would follow an EHR reporting period of one full calendar year, as is proposed in the stage 3 rules.
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