CMS proposal requires chronic care providers to use 2014 CEHRT

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed physician fee schedule for the 2015 calendar year includes provisions requiring physician practices that offer chronic care management services to Medicare beneficiaries to use EHRs certified to at least the 2014 edition.

The 609-page proposed rule is scheduled for publication in the July 11 Federal Register.

The Meaningful Use program is voluntary, but this would open the door to mandating certified EHR technology for those providing chronic care. The rule would not propose a new set of standards applicable only to chronic care management services.

“It is clear that effective chronic care management can be accomplished only through regular monitoring of the patient’s health status, needs and services, and through frequent communication and exchange of information with the beneficiary and among healthcare practitioners treating the beneficiary,” according to the rule. Certified EHR technology, which supports a problem list, medications and medication allergy checks, care coordination and exchange of a summary of care record, is thus required to provide chronic care management.  

The agency also wrote that those providing chronic care management services “need to establish reliable flows of information from emergency departments, hospitals and providers of post-acute care services to track their chronic care management patients receiving care in those settings.” As such, EHRs or other health IT platforms are necessary so an electronic care plan is accessible to all providers at all times and that a care plan can be shared with outside entities.

“We believe this scope of service element will ensure that practitioners have adequate capabilities to fully furnish chronic care management services, allow practitioners to innovate around the systems that they use to furnish these services, and avoid overburdening small practices,” according to the rule.

Access the rule here.