CMS reports rising Stage 2 attestations; CHIME says it’s not enough
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has paid out $16.6 billion in EHR incentive monies since the program’s inception, according to an agency official reporting the latest numbers during the Dec. 9 Health IT Policy Committee.
As of November 2014, 11,478 eligible professionals and 840 hospitals have attested to Meaningful Use (MU) Stage 2. In total, 15,481 new EPs and 221 new hospital have attested in 2014, reported Elisabeth Myers, head of policy and research at CMS’ Office of eHealth Standards and Services.
“We’ve seen a significant increase in attestations over the past month,” she told the committee, adding that she is expecting to see more attestations roll in thanks to the extended attestation reporting period. EPs have until Feb. 28, 2015, and EHs have until Dec. 31 to attest.
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) wasted no time reacting to the latest data released by CMS. Noting that less than 35 percent of U.S. hospitals and just 4 percent of eligible professionals have met MU Stage 2 requirements, the organization reiterated its call to shorten the reporting period for 2015.
"Despite policy efforts to mitigate a disastrous program year, today's release of participation data confirms widespread challenges with Stage 2 Meaningful Use," said CHIME President and CEO Russell P. Branzell, FCHIME, CHCIO, in a statement. “It is imperative officials take immediate action to put this critical transformation program back on track. Shortening the time frame for MU reporting in 2015 will help to ensure the program delivers on its promise to advance the transformation of healthcare in this country."
CHIME thus restated its support for the Flexibility in Health IT Reporting Act, or Flex-IT Act, which would shorten the required full year of reporting in 2015 to 90 days. "Swift passage of the Flex-IT bill before Congress adjourns will provide the certainty that healthcare providers deserve to ensure the safe implementation and use of their EHR systems," Branzell said.