CMS Issues Final Rule, Extending 2014 Meaningful Use Attestation Timeline
CMS Action: Final Rule
When: Effective October 1, 2014
Who: Hospitals and Physicians that could not fully implement a Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) in 2014 and continued to use a 2011 CEHRT or a combination of 2011 & 2014 CEHRT for the 2014 Meaningful Use (MU) reporting period now have an extended Meaningful Use attestation timeline. They would then be allowed to use the 2014 criteria in 2015. This option would be available only for providers who can attest that they were unable to fully implement a Certified EHR Technology in 2014 because of delays caused by the availability of the 2014 certified version of their EHR by their vendors.
The provider would attest to the stage of Meaningful Use based on the edition of the CEHRT they have implemented. For example, a hospital that was not able to implement 2014 edition CEHRT in its 2014 reporting year would not have the capability to attest to stage 2 Meaningful Use objectives and measures. Therefore, in 2014 this hospital would be permitted to continue attestation to MU stage 1 measures and objectives.
The options provided by CMS are only for providers who can attest that they were unable to fully implement 2014 CEHRT caused by delays in system availability that was the fault of the vendor.
CMS took the publication of this final rule as an opportunity to provide guidance on the deadline for attestation reporting. Providers may attest to any three month quarter based EHR reporting (or any continuous 90 days for new participants) in 2014. The attestation may be submitted at any time during the Meaningful Use attestation reporting period. For critical access hospitals (CAHs) the 2014 attestation reporting period ends on November 30, 2014. For eligible providers (EPs) the 2014 attestation reporting period ends on February 28, 2015. For example an EP would attest for their meeting of the Meaningful Use requirements based on their use of CEHRT and objectives and measures for the third quarter of 2014, and the submission of the attestation report must be submitted no later than February 28, 2015.