The following is correspondence from CMS.
CMS is extending the deadline for eligible hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to attest to meaningful use for the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program 2014 reporting year from 11:59 pm EST on November 30, 2014 to 11:59 pm EST on December 31, 2014.
This extension will allow more time for hospitals to submit their meaningful use data and receive an incentive payment for the 2014 program year, as well as avoid the 2016 Medicare payment adjustment.
CMS is also extending the deadline for eligible hospitals and CAHs that are electronically submitting clinical quality measures (CQMs) to meet that requirement of meaningful use and the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) program. Hospitals now have until December 31, 2014 to submit their eCQM data via Quality Net.
Note: This extension does not impact the deadlines for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program.
How to attest
Medicare eligible hospitals and CAHs will use the Registration and Attestation System to submit their attestation for meaningful use for the 2014 reporting year. The system is open and fully operational, and includes the 2014 Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) Flexibility Rule options. Medicare eligible hospitals and CAHs can attest any time to 2014 data until 11:59 pm EST on December 31, 2014 to meet the new 2014 program deadline.
Attestation Tips
Here are some steps to help make the attestation process easier:
- Consider logging on to use the attestation system during non-peak hours, such as evenings and weekends
- Log on to the registration and attestation system now and ensure that your information is up to date and begin entering your 2014 data
- If you experience attestation problems, call the EHR Incentive Program Help Desk and report the problem
Reminder: Medicare eligible hospitals must attest to demonstrating meaningful use every year to receive an incentive and avoid a payment adjustment.
2016 Payment Adjustments
Payment adjustments will be applied at the beginning of FY 2016 (October 1, 2015) for Medicare eligible hospitals that have not successfully demonstrated meaningful use in 2014. Read the eligible hospital payment adjustment tipsheet to learn more.
Note: CAHs have a different payment adjustment schedule than Medicare eligible hospitals. Review the CAH Payment Adjustment and Hardship Exception Tipsheet.
Resources
The EHR Information Center is open to assist you with all of your registration and attestation system inquiries. Please call, 1-888-734-6433 (primary number) or 888-734-6563 (TTY number). The EHR Information Center is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Central Time), except federal holidays.
Attestation resources are available on the Educational Resources webpage of the EHR Incentives Programs website.