CMS Announces Finalized Rule on 2014 EHR Flexibility for Meaningful Use Attestation
On Friday, August 29, 2014, CMS announced that the proposed rule allowing flexibility for providers doing 2014 Meaningful Use (MU) attestation was approved. You can link to and view the CMS press announcement here. This rule allows a choice of certified EHR technology (CEHRT) to be used to meet MU for either Medicare or Medicaid Incentive Programs in 2014. The full language in the final rule will be published in the September 4, 2014, Federal Register but can be viewed in advance as a pdf at this link.
The final rule matches the proposed rule from earlier this year, and it means that providers can now choose from among the following options for the time remaining in 2014:
- Use a 2011 Edition CEHRT
- Use a 2014 Edition CEHRT
- A combination of 2011 and 2014 Edition CEHRT
Of note, this option only applies for 2014 attestations for Meaningful Use. The rule specifically notes “… All eligible professionals, eligible hospitals, and CAHs are required to use the 2014 Edition CEHRT in 2015.” This means that you should have a serious discussion with your EHR vendor if they are having difficulty meeting the 2014 CEHRT requirements, to ensure you will be able to report in 2015. If you are unsure whether your EHR meets 2014 Edition CEHRT, refer to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) list of approved products; it is updated regularly and can be accessed here.
CMS also has placed a number of resources on their webpage to assist eligible professionals (EP) with the “2014 CEHRT Flexibility Rule”. Some of those links are listed below:
- 2014 CEHRT Quick Guide: Link here.
- 2014 CEHRT Decision Tool: Link here.
- 2014 CEHRT Flexibility Chart: Link here.
As always, if you need assistance with this or other issues, Corcoran Consulting Group can help. In conjunction with Jeff Grant of HCMA, we published a Special Edition of our ALERT newsletter in July, 2014, which featured Meaningful Use as the topic. Call us to learn more about an ALERT subscription (which includes access to all back issues), or our training and chart review services.
www.corcoranccg.com (800) 399-6565