The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) formally recommended changing the stage timeline for meaningful use last week. This change would grant more flexibility to providers who have experienced delays in receiving the required stage 2 2014 Edition CEHRT product updates from their vendors. The new rule would allow eligible providers who could not fully implement 2014 Edition CEHRT for the 2014 reporting year due to these delays in 2014 Edition CEHRT availability to continue to use 2011 Edition CEHRT or a combination of 2011 Edition and 2014 Edition CEHRT for the EHR  reporting periods in CY2014 and FY 2014, respectively.    The proposed change would be for 2014 only.

“This is great news and takes some of the burden off of practices who are waiting to attest to Stage 2 because their vendor is not ready with the upgrade software,” said Terri Gonzalez, Director of Practice Improvement for the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) Foundation. “If this proposed rule is passed, practices could use their  2011 Edition CEHRT or a combination of 2011 Edition and 2014 Edition CEHRT for the EHR  to attest in 2014.

The proposed rule would also extend Stage 2 through 2016 and begin Stage 3 in 2017. These recommended changes would address concerns raised by stakeholders and will encourage the continued adoption of Certified EHR Technology

Read the entire proposal here.

Let CMS know whether you support this proposed change by July 21, 2014 by providing comments.

To post comments, please go to:  http://www.regulations.gov/ and follow the “submit a comment” instructions.  You may also submit comments by regular mail to:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Department of Health and Human Services
Attention:  CMS -0052-P
Mail Stop C4-26-05
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD  21244-1850

For more information on how the NCMS Foundation can help, contact Terri Gonzalez at 919-833-3836 x123 or 800.722.1350 (NC only).