Republican senators request one year MU extension

Senate Republican Conference Chair John Thune (R-S.D.) and 16 other GOP senators sent a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius requesting a one-year extension of Meaningful Use Stage 2 on Sept. 25.

Stage 2 is set to begin Oct. 1 for hospitals and Jan. 1, 2014, for physicians and other eligible professionals.

Several groups have called for changes to the program's timeline, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians, College of Healthcare Information Management Executives, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society and Medical Group Management Association.

The senators' letter focused on three areas of concern:

• The regulatory structure of the Meaningful Use program has created time pressure in 2014, and Stage 2 attestation might not be achievable for all participants;
• The onset of Stage 2 could widen the digital divide for small and rural providers; and
• An aggressive Stage 2 timeline could lead to unintended consequences, such as stifling innovation and increasing medical errors.

The senators are not asking for a delay of the program, but rather for a one-year extension for "providers who need extra time to meet the new requirements" under Stage 2. They requested a response from Sebelius by Oct. 8.

Several organizations shared their support of the senators' letter. "These 17 senators have evaluated program data, heard from constituents and acted in a responsible manner by issuing their request to [Sebelius]," said Richard Branzell, CEO and president of CHIME, in a release. The letter "echoes...CHIME and others who desperately want this program to succeed, but also know that some changes are needed."

Steven Stack, immediate past chair of the American Medical Association, said, "[W]e join these senators in expressing our concern that overly aggressive deadlines may widen the digital divide for small and rural practices," in a release.