On November 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) (@CMSGov) released the updated payment rates and policy changes in the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System for calendar year (CY) 2017. This final rule with comment period includes a number of proposed changes that would affect the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. The final rule will be published on November 14 and comments will be accepted until December 31.
The changes to the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs include:
- For eligible hospitals, CAHs and dual-eligible hospitals attesting to CMS, eliminating the Clinical Decision Support (CDS) and Computerized Order Entry (CPOE) objectives and measures beginning in 2017, reducing a subset of thresholds for the remaining objectives and measures for Modified Stage 2 in 2017 and Stage 3 in 2017 and 2018, and adding new naming conventions to measures for Modified Stage 2 and Stage 3.
- Allowing all returning participants in the EHR Incentive Programs to report on a 90-day EHR reporting period in 2016 and 2017.
- An application process for a one-time significant hardship exception to the Medicare EHR Incentive Program for certain eligible professionals in 2017 who are also transitioning to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS).
For More Information
Review the OPPS and ASC final rule and visit the CMS website.