First Time EHR Incentive Program Participants Face October Deadline

For first-time participants in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program, the 2016 attestation period ends on October 1, 2016. These participants must successfully attest by October 1st to avoid the payment adjustments for 2017. All returning providers will attest between January 3, 2017 through February 28, 2017.

As a result of ASA’s advocacy efforts, CMS created a hardship exemption for physician anesthesiologists as a part of the Meaningful Use Stage 2 Final Rule in 2012. This exemption allows physician anesthesiologists to avoid the payment penalties that began in 2015. Physician anesthesiologists with the Provider, Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) Anesthesiology specialty designation of “05” have an automatic hardship exemption and do not need to complete a hardship exemption form or attest to meaningful use in 2016.

Please visit the ASA Quality Improvement website for more information regarding the EHR Incentive Program. Other materials related to the EHR Incentive Program (Meaningful Use) are located on CMS and ONC websites, including several reference tools to guide EPs through the initial assessment stages.

For additional information, please contact the ASA Department of Quality and Regulatory Affairs (QRA) at (202) 289-2222 or via email [email protected].