CMS announced the extension of EHR attestation deadline from February 28 to March 20, 2015 for Eligible Professionals (EPs) this February. This extension has given some extra time to the providers for submitting their meaningful use (MU) data. It has also given them time to decide whether or not they want to switch programs, i.e. from Medicare to Medicaid or vice versa because after the March 20 deadline they will not be able to do so.
With less than just 10 days left for the attestation, EPs will have to do the necessary preparations. March 20, 2015 will be the last date when the 2014 MU dashboard will be updated.
Industry facts
| According to a report by the CMS, only 2% EPs had attested to MU Stage 2 by November 2014 |
| According to the National Centre for Health Statistics, only 13% physicians had EHR systems capable of reporting all 17 core objectives of the MU Stage 2 in 2013 |
| According to the CMS data presented at the Health Information Technology Policy Committee meeting held on January 13 this year, nearly 80% of the eligible hospitals attested to MU Stage 2 in 2014 |
Reporting Requirements for Stage2 Attestation
Eligible professionals will have to fulfill all the eligibility requirements and report the following items for Stage 2 attestation:
Stage 2
EPs will have to register with the CMS before completion of attestation for Medicare or Medicaid program. They will need to provide the NPI (National Provider Identifier), TIN (Billing Tax Identification Number), NPPES (National Plan and Provider Enumeration System) user ID and password for the registration process.
To become eligible for incentives ($24,000 for Medicare and $63,750 for Medicaid), they will need to show that they used certified EHR technology in a meaningful manner. They will also have to confirm that they have charted more than 80% of their patient records in the EHR because it is one of the main requirements to meet MU requirements.
Penalties and Incentives for MU Stage 2
If your existing vendor has not released updates for MU2, it can hold up your attestation and result in loss of revenue for your practice. The failure to get attested by March 20 will result in penalties in the form of reduction in Medicare Part B reimbursement payment. It will start increasing by one percent every year until it reaches 5%. However, with successful attestation EPs can receive up to $43,720 as an incentive over five continuous years.
Overcome MU Attestation Complexities:
Are you struggling with the new MU2 requirements? Is your EHR vendor unable to meet the program prerequisites? If the answer is yes, you should switch to MedicalBillersandCoders.com for effective MU attestation process consultation. MBC has a team of expert coders and billers who can help your practice overcome the EHR worries. You can rely on MBC’s over 15 years of industry experience to overcome the challenges related to MU attestation, eligibility, incentives and penalties. A dedicated team will be immediately assigned to ensure that you fulfill all the requirements necessary for avoiding penalties.
Contact us today for MU Attestation!
