On October 30, 2023, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a...more
Two divisions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) – the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) – released the "21st Century Cures Act:...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires all hospitals to meaningfully use certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT) as part of the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program. Eligible...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published its highly anticipated final rule aimed at enhancing interoperability and increasing patient access to health information. CMS’s final rule will require hospitals...more
On July 9, 2018, Cass Regional Medical Center (CRMC) in Harrisonville, Missouri was hit with a ransomware attack that led to a complete shutdown of its electronic health record (EHR) and the diversion of trauma and stroke...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the hardship exception instructions and application form for the Medicare Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Program (now called the Promoting...more
Beginning in 2018, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is commencing an annual “Call for Measures” initiative to allow interested parties (i.e., Medicare eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently extended the meaningful use attestation deadline for the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program from February 28, 2018, to March 16, 2018....more
The CMS EHR Incentive Program attestation for Medicare eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) has moved to a new platform, the QualityNet Secure Portal (QNet). Starting this year, eligible hospitals and CAHs...more
Eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) must now use the QualityNet Secure Portal (QNet) to submit meaningful use attestations for the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program. ...more
The 21st Century Cures Act (Cures) was signed into law December 13, 2016. While the primary focus of the 996-page Act centered on biomedical innovation, several components of Cures have significant implications for health...more
If you are a physician, mid-level provider, or work with those providers, then you have been bombarded with new acronyms for new programs and promises to remove older acronyms from your Medicare vocabulary. Medicare...more
Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule (Final Rule) modifying the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long Term Acute Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective...more
As we enter the sixth year of the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Records Incentive Programs (commonly referred to as the “Meaningful Use Programs”), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to...more
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) continues to work to ensure it is responsive to providers who tried to meet meaningful use standards in 2015 but faced hardships in their efforts. Eligible professionals,...more
On January 22, CMS posted a revised application and instructions for a hardship exception from the Meaningful Use program penalties in 2015. Under the new, streamlined application process, which CMS says is a temporary...more
For health care professionals who began accepting Meaningful Use incentive money at the outset of availability under the Medicare option in 2011, the year 2015 is an important year. If the provider has met all core...more
On October 6, 2015, CMS released the final Stage 3 Meaningful Use Rule that, among other provisions, sets forth the requirements that eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) must...more
On September 28, 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a Request for Information (RFI) seeking stakeholder comments related to innovative physician payment models required by the Medicare Access...more
CMS Reopens Attestation Period For First-Time Hospitals Until August – CMS recently announced that eligible hospitals participating in the Medicare Electronic Health Record Incentive Program for the first time in 2015 may...more