AHA calls for swift finalization of MU proposed rule
The American Hospital Association is urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT to quickly finalize its proposed rule to expand the choice of certified EHR technology for 2014.
"The flexibility offered in the proposed rule would support continued adoption of EHRs; without it, many providers are likely to conclude that they cannot meet Meaningful Use this year and abandon the program,” wrote Linda Fishman, AHA senior vice president of public policy analysis and development, in a letter to the agencies.
If hospitals must make decision on how to meet Meaningful Use requirements for fiscal year 2014 before the rule’s finalization, it “could unfairly cause significant financial and operational harm to hospitals,” according to the letter.
AHA also asked the agencies to:
- clarify and simplify how the rule would be implemented
- give hospitals more flexibility in reporting electronic clinical quality measures;
- shorten the MU reporting period for 2015; and
- learn from Stage 2 MU before finalizing the start date for Stage 3.
Read the letter here.