CMS announces it will shorten meaningful use reporting to 90 days in 2015 After repeated calls for changes from physician groups nationwide, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it would issue new rules this spring to shorten the meaningful use reporting period in 2015 to 90 days for providers under the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive Programs. The new rule is intended to be “responsive to provider concerns about software implementation, information exchange readiness, and other related concerns in 2015,” wrote CMS Deputy Administrator and Chief Medical Officer Patrick Conway, M.D., in a blog published on the CMS ... January 30, 2015 Medi-Cal, Medicare CMS, EHR, Electronic Health Record, Meaningful Use, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 0 0 Comment Read More »
AMA asks feds to decouple EHR certification from meaningful use The American Medical Association (AMA) has sent a letter to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Karen B. DeSalvo, M.D., urging that the certification of electronic health records (EHR) be decoupled from meaningful use certification requirements. “Unfortunately, we believe the meaningful use certification requirements are contributing to EHR system problems, and we are worried about the downstream effects on patient safety,” the letter said. “Many physicians find these systems cumbersome, do not meet their workflow needs, decrease efficiency, and have a limited, if any, interoperability,” the letter said. “”Most ... January 23, 2015 EHR Certified EHRs, EHR, Electronic Health Record, Meaningful Use, AMA 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMS reopening meaningful use hardship exception deadline The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it is reopening the submission period for meaningful use hardship exception applications so that physicians can avoid the 2015 payment penalty. The new deadline will be November 30, 2014. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Congress mandated payment adjustments under Medicare for eligible professionals that are not meaningful users of Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (CEHRT). The Act allows the Secretary to consider, on a case-by-case basis, hardship exceptions for eligible professionals to avoid the ... October 10, 2014 Medi-Cal, Medicare EHR, Electronic Health Record, Medicare, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 0 0 Comment Read More »
Late program changes could mean Medicare penalties for some in 2015 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that a small subset of physicians participating in the Medicare electronic health records (EHR) Incentive Program may get hit with Medicare penalties next year because the attestation system will not be updated with the expanded hardship exemptions before the October 1 deadline to apply for an exemption. It is uncertain how many participants are at risk, but they are affected by a narrow set of circumstances. The problem ironically stems from changes authorized in August to provide more flexibility in ... September 29, 2014 Medicare EHR, Electronic Health Record, Meaningful Use, CMS 0 0 Comment Read More »
Deadline to submit meaningful use hardship exception is July 1 Beginning January 1, 2015, Medicare physicians who have not successfully attested to meaningful use of a certified electronic health record (EHR) system may incur payment penalties, as mandated by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. These payment adjustments will be 1-2 percent of total Medicare charges in 2015, to 2 percent in 2016 and 3-5 percent in 2017 and beyond. The 2015 penalties are based on 2013 reporting data. Physicians who failed to successfully demonstrate meaningful use in 2013 can apply for a hardship exception ... June 25, 2014 Medicare EHR, Electronic Health Record, HIT, Medicare, Certified EHRs 0 0 Comment Read More »
Deadline for 2013 Medi-Cal EHR incentive payments extended The deadline for providers to apply for Medi-Cal electronic health records (EHR) incentive payments for the 2013 program year has been extended by one month to April 30, 2014. After that date, the State Level Registry (SLR) will no longer accept 2013 applications. For the 2014 program year, providers who are attesting to adopting, implementing or upgrading certified EHRs can currently apply to the SLR for 2014 program year incentive payments. However, the SLR is currently unable to accept applications from providers attesting to meaningful use for 2014. The SLR ... March 27, 2014 Medi-Cal Incentive Payments, Medi-Cal, EHR 0 0 Comment Read More »
HHS develops toolkit to help physicians prepare for online communication with patients The California Health and Human Services Agency (HHS) has developed a toolkit to help medical practices prepare for online patient communications through an electronic health record (EHR) portal, personal health record, mobile app, secure messaging or other electronic means. Data indicates that patients who use health information technologies may be more efficient users of health care resources, better managers of their health behaviors and feel more satisfied with the health care system. The free toolkit, "Preparing for Online Communication with Your Patients," provides checklists and worksheets to help offices collect and ... March 27, 2014 General Electronic Health Record, Health Information Technology, HIT, EHR, Mobile Health 0 0 Comment Read More »
Deadlines loom for Medi-Cal EHR Incentive Program The deadline for providers to apply for Medi-Cal electronic health records (EHR) incentive payments the 2013 program year is March 31, 2014. After that date, the State Level Registry (SLR) will no longer accept 2013 applications. For the 2014 program year, providers who are attesting to adopting, implementing or upgrading certified EHRs can currently apply to the SLR for 2014 program year incentive payments. However, the SLR is currently unable to accept applications from providers attesting to meaningful use for 2014. The SLR will not begin accepting 2014 meaningful use ... March 7, 2014 Medi-Cal Electronic Health Record, Incentive Payments, Insurance/Reimbursement, Medi-Cal, EHR, Health Information Technology 0 0 Comment Read More »
Reminder: SLR not accepting 2014 meaningful use attestations until April The California Department of Health Care Services reminds physicians that the State Level Registry (SLR) will not be accepting 2014 meaningful use attestations for the Medi-Cal Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program until April 1, 2014. This restriction only applies to 2014 meaningful use attestations. Physicians who are in the first participation year of the program and are adopting, implementing or upgrading (AIU) to a certified EHR rather than demonstrating meaningful use can submit 2014 AIU attestations beginning January 1, 2014. For more information, visit www.medi-cal.ehr.ca.gov. January 14, 2014 Medi-Cal Department of Health Care Services, EHR, Electronic Health Record, Meaningful Use, Health Information Technology 0 0 Comment Read More »
House of Delegates Highlights House of Delegates acts on hospital care The California Medical Association (CMA) House of Delegates has voted to take action on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) "outpatient patient observation" status, finding it to be a practice that places undue financial burden on patients, complicates the practice of medicine and often results in physicians receiving reduced payments for services provided. ​Resolution 211-13, which received strong support on the floor of the House, was submitted as an emergency resolution and asked that CMA request that CMS eliminate its "outpatient patient ... October 14, 2013 General Advocacy, California Political Action Committee, CALPAC, Electronic Health Record, Health Information Technology, MICRA, Professional Liability, EHR, House of Delegates, Insurance/Reimbursement 0 0 Comment Read More »
