In a press release dated November 30, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that Stage 2 of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program (also known as the “Meaningful Use” program) will be delayed for one year for providers who attest during 2011. Stage 2 compliance, for those providers, will now be required in 2014, not 2013. The announcement was contained in the body of a “news release” that also noted the effectiveness of EHRs for reducing errors and improving outcomes, described a CDC study that shows that more and more physicians are adopting EHRs, and cited the Obama administration’s commitment to expanding health IT training as a path to job growth.

The announced change will likely be formally made in the notice of proposed rule making providing the Stage 2 requirements, which is expected in the first quarter of 2012. Under current program requirements, eligible professionals and hospitals who attested to Stage 1 compliance in 2011 would be required to attest to compliance with Stage 2 requirements in 2013. Providers who, in the alternative, waited to attest to Stage 1 until 2012 would be permitted to wait until 2014 to attest to Stage 2 compliance....