Assns. to CMS: Allow more time for hardship exception applications

The American Medical Association (AMA) and the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) have teamed up to request an extension for eligible professionals (EPs) to submit a hardship exception to help avoid Meaningful Use (MU) penalties.

The recently proposed rule regarding hardship exception includes a submission deadline of July 1. The two organizations sent a letter Marilyn Tavenner, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, asking for more time.

The proposed rule, published May 20, allows for EPs unable to fully implement 2014 certified EHR technology (CEHRT) to report for the 2014 reporting year using 2011 CEHRT and using 2013 criteria. “This is a much-needed modification to the program and should facilitate continued program participation for many EPs,” according to the letter.

The proposed rule has a July 21 closing date for public comments and publication of the final rule is not expected until late summer. That falls after the July 1 date for EPs to submit a hardship exception to avoid the 2015 Medicare payment adjustment.

“Many EPs are working diligently toward successfully meeting the 2014 requirements, but expect to do so later this year and well after the July 1 deadline,” the letter read.

The organizations also said that many EPs are unclear as to the MU requirements for 2014 and whether they need to apply for a hardship now before the rule is finalized. If an EP is  unable to meet the modified MU requirements they will have missed the hardship exception deadline and will be penalized in 2015.

While 50 percent of Medicare EPs have participated in the MU program, another 50 percent are at risk for these penalties, according to the associations. “We recommend that the agency extend the deadline for EPs to submit the hardship exception to a minimum of 30 days flowing publication of the final rule.”