CMS Releases Meaningful Use Stage 3 Rule

On October 6, 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its Stage 3 and Modifications to Meaningful Use in 2015 Through 2017 Final Rule and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) released its 2015 Edition Health Information Technology (Health IT) Certification Criteria, 2015 Edition Base Electronic Health Record Definition, and ONC Health IT Certification Program Modifications Final Rule. These documents will be published on October 16, 2015 in the Federal Register but are available in pre-publication PDF format.

CMS combined the Stage 3 Meaningful Use Proposed Rule and the Modifications to Meaningful Use in 2015 Through 2017 Proposed Rule in this final rule. The final rule changes the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program 2015 reporting period to a 90-day period aligned with the calendar year and offers a 90-day reporting period for new participants in 2016 and 2017 as well as for any provider moving to Stage 3 in 2017.  The rule outlines that Stage 3 is optional in 2017 but required for all participants beginning in 2018. The rule establishes a single set of Meaningful Use objectives and measures for eligible providers (EPs), eligible hospitals (EHs) and critical access hospitals (CAHs) for Stage 3.

The 2015 Edition Health Information Technology (Health IT) Certification Criteria, 2015 Edition Base Electronic Health Record Definition, and ONC Health IT Certification Program Modifications final rule establishes the specifications that Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (CEHRT) needs to include in order for EPs, EHs and CAHs to achieve meaningful use.

Additional information for members on the EHR Incentive Program (Meaningful Use) is available on the ASA Quality and Regulatory Affairs (QRA) website.

ASA staff is reviewing the final rules and will provide more detailed analyses in the near future. For additional information, please contact the ASA Department of Quality and Regulatory Affairs (QRA) at (202) 289-2222 or via email [email protected].