Meaningful use deadlines extended to March 13

It is the season for Medicare program deadline extensions. If you are in the process of reporting your 2016 data for the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program, also known as meaningful use, the deadline has just been extended from Feb. 28 to 11:59 pm (PT) on March 13. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said this extension applies to those eligible professionals looking to avoid a negative payment adjustment on Medicare reimbursements in 2018.  Those participating in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program should refer to the attestation deadlines in their particular state.  

However, there is still one critical Feb. 28 deadline remaining. If CMS has notified you that your practice failed to successfully demonstrate meaningful use for the 2015 performance year, meaning you are scheduled to receive a negative payment adjustment on all Medicare reimbursements in the associated 2017 payment year, you still must complete and submit a application to request reconsideration by the end of the month. Likewise, if you applied for a hardship exception tied to challenges in the 2015 performance year and your application was denied, you still need to complete a request for reconsideration by Feb. 28 or face negative payment adjustments this year.

The application for reconsideration and instructions related to the application are available on the CMS website for EHR Incentive programs, payment adjustments, and hardships.  For questions about the Reconsideration Application, email pareconsideration@provider-resources.com.

For questions about the Registration and Attestation System, contact the EHR Information Center at 1-888-734-6433 (option 1), which is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm ET.

– Theresa Wilkes, Medical Informatics Strategist for AAFP