eHealth Program Milestones for 2014

By Robert Tagalicod
Director, Office of E-Health Standards and Services, CMS

2014 will be a big year for CMS eHealth programs— there are key deadlines for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs; an expansion of eReporting will be coming up; the implementation of quality reporting program alignment begins; and the ICD-10 transition takes place on October 1st. Each of these milestones supports the overall goals of the eHealth initiative—helping health care providers deliver better patient care by simplifying the use of electronic standards and encouraging the adoption of health information technology.

While 2014 may seem like the distant future, meeting these deadlines will take planning and preparation, and now is the time to get ready. Below is an overview of important dates, along with links to resources, tools, and information to help you prepare for 2014 and beyond.

Key eHealth Program Milestones in 2014

• January 1, 2014:
  • Effective date of Administrative Simplification operating rules for electronic funds transfers (EFT) and remittance advice.
  • Start of Stage 2 for eligible professionals (EPs) beginning their third or fourth year of participation in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. Learn more about Stage 2.
  • Final eRx payment adjustment of 2% will be applied during the 2014 calendar year (EPs subject to the payment adjustment will receive 98% of their Medicare Part B PFS amount for covered professional services). For more information, review the eRx Payment Adjustment Fact Sheet and theeRx Updates for 2013 Fact Sheet.

Please note that Medicare EPs in their second year or beyond of demonstrating meaningful use will need to electronically report their CQMs for the full calendar year of 2014 (January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014). This means providers will submit their CQM data between January 1, 2015 and February 28, 2015.

• February 28, 2014:
  • Deadline for EPs to submit their calendar year (CY) 2013 data to receive a Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) incentive payment for 2013. It is also the last day for Medicare EPs participating in the Electronic Reporting Pilot to submit quality data to satisfy both PQRS and the CQM requirement of the EHR Incentive Program. Learn more about the PQRS program, and the EHR Incentive Program Electronic Reporting Pilot.
  • Deadline for EPs to register and attest to demonstrating meaningful use for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program to receive an incentive payment for the 2013 reporting year. Medicaid registration and attestation deadlines may differ by state.

• October 1, 2014:
  • Transition date from ICD-9 to ICD-10 codes for diagnoses and inpatient procedures. Step-by-step CMS resources can help you make sure you’re prepared for the transition.
  • Last day for Medicare EPs who have not yet participated in the EHR Incentive program to begin their 90 days of meaningful use in 2014. Medicare EPs will not be able to earn an incentive for their participation in the program after this date and will be subject to payment adjustments. Payment adjustments start at 1% and are cumulative for every year that an EP does not participate.

• November 5, 2014:
  • Deadline for large health plans to obtain a Health Plan Identifier (HPID). Small health plans have until November 5, 2015.