CMS Releases Additional Meaningful Use Guidance for EPs; Stage 3 Recommendations Underway

CMS Releases Additional Meaningful Use Guidance for EPs; Stage 3 Recommendations Underway

CMS released last week a new comprehensive guide for eligible professionals (EPs) participating in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program.  The guide covers:

• Program basics, such as an explanation of the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program and what requirements must be met;
• Eligibility and registration; 
• Meaningful use, including first year adoption/implementation/upgrade payments, as well as clinical quality measures (CQMs), core and menu objectives;
• Steps for attestation; and
• Resources for EPs

This Medicaid guide compliments the Medicare version which was previously made available for EPs by CMS and can be found on the Educational Materials section on CMS’ EHR website. CMS urges EPs, as well as hospitals, to register early to avoid any issues during attestation.  This is the last year for Medicare EPs to begin their participation in the EHR Incentive Program in order to receive full Medicare incentive payments.

While the Stage 2 requirements have not yet been finalized, the HIT Policy Committee Meaningful Use Work Group is hard at work to meet its deadline for initial recommendations for Stage 3 by August 1.  According to Healthcare Informatics, a Request for Comment would be issued in November and final recommendations published by May 2013. 

The committee is considering proposing that solutions for meeting Stage 3 criteria would include those that track individual care goals, the team members involved in an individual’s care, and their roles across care settings, track tasks and responsible parties, facilitate population health management, medication reconciliation and problem list reconciliation, and allow for input and access to care information by all team members, the individual and their caregivers.