Wiki Meaningful Use changes for 2015--possible 90-day reporting period

[mhstrauss]

Anyone involved in MU in your clinic? From MGMA:


Jan. 29, 2015 - Special Alert
CMS announces intent to shorten 2015 Meaningful Use reporting period
Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its intent to engage in rulemaking that would make amend the EHR (Meaningful Use) Incentive Program to reduce program complexity and ease administrative burden on physician practices. Shortening the 2015 reporting period to 90 days was among the changes listed for consideration. Members should note that these program modifications must still be finalized through formal rulemaking, expected to occur this spring.

This announcement comes in response to significant efforts on behalf of MGMA and other stakeholder groups to alert the agency to program complexities that have prevented many providers from meeting Stage 2 reporting requirements, including a Sept. 15, 2014 sign-on letter which specifically called for a shortened 90-day reporting period.

In response to today's announcement, MGMA issued the following statement:
"MGMA is encouraged by the announcement today from CMS regarding the agency's plan to modify aspects of the Meaningful Use program. MGMA has been a strong advocate for CMS to increase program flexibility and shorten the 2015 EHR reporting period from a year to 90 days. We urge CMS to expedite the release of its 90-day reporting provision to give physician practices the confidence they need to continue participating in this program. The number of eligible professionals successfully attesting for Stage 2 of the program in 2014 were sharply down from those attesting for Stage 1, making significant changes to Meaningful Use essential."

 

[Billing2012]

What is meaningful use

How does Medicare monitors who meets and who doesn't meet meaningful use, is there are code we have to bill for? please help, I am not familiar with this meaningful use business

Thank you

 

[mhstrauss]

How does Medicare monitors who meets and who doesn't meet meaningful use, is there are code we have to bill for? please help, I am not familiar with this meaningful use business

Thank you

This is a pretty major process, that should be worked throughout the year. Basically, your EMR will collect data on patient encounters for each physician that is participating, on quality measures as determined by CMS. Your clinic's designated project person should be running reports throughout the year to monitor this data. There are no codes to report like in PQRS. At the end of the reporting period, someone from your office must input this data into CMS's attestation website. The process is much more involved than what I have here--if your office is just starting with MU, you need to check out CMS's MU page. CMS monitors this by comparing attestation records for those providers that have submitted attestation data to billing data for all claims submitted; any provider that has not successfully attested, or submitted hardship exemptions, may be subject to a penalty.

Hope that helps some.