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Learn about New Requirements for Participation in EHR Incentive Programs

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) recently announced the release of final rules for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs and the 2015 Edition Health IT Certification Criteria. The rules will be published on October 16, 2015, and are currently on display in the Federal Register. 

The EHR Incentive Programs final rule provides new criteria that eligible professionals, eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) must meet in order to successfully participate in the EHR Incentive Programs. The final rule outlines program requirements in 2015 through 2017 (Modified Stage 2) and Stage 3 in 2018 and beyond, and includes a comment period for Stage 3. 

The 2015 Edition Health IT Certification Criteria final rule builds on past editions of adopted health IT certification criteria, and includes new and updated IT functionality and provisions that support the EHR Incentive Programs' care improvement, cost reduction, and patient safety across the health system.

EHR Incentive Programs Final Rule Provisions Through the new requirements of the EHR Incentive Programs, CMS will expand meaningful use of certified EHR technology to promote health information exchange and improved outcomes. The rule also includes changes to the structure of the EHR Incentive Programs to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and flexibility.

Major policy provisions include:

• Program modifications to reduce reporting burden, eliminate redundant and duplicative reporting, and to better align the objectives and measures of meaningful use with the Stage 3 requirements.
• A revised single set of objectives and measures, including a reduction of the overall number of objectives to which a provider must attest.
• Changes in EHR reporting periods, including a shift to calendar year for all providers and 90-day reporting for 2015.
• Revisions to attestation and payment adjustment deadlines.
• Optional Stage 3 reporting in 2017.

For more information about the EHR Incentive Programs final rule, view the Final Rule Fact Sheet that highlights key changes to the EHR Incentive Programs.

To learn more about the ONC 2015 Edition Health IT Certification Criteria final rule, visit: https://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Fact-sheets/2015-Fact-sheets-items/2015-10-06.html

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.