The following is email communication from CMS.
November 30, 2014 is an important date for the 2014 Medicare EHR Incentive Program for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs).
Attestation Deadline
Eligible hospitals and CAHs must successfully attest to demonstrating meaningful use by November 30 to receive a 2014 incentive payment. Hospitals participating in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program need to refer to their state deadlines for attestation.
The CMS Attestation System is open and fully operational, and now includes the 2014 Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) Flexibility Rule options. Medicare eligible hospitals can attest any time to 2014 data until 11:59 p.m. ET on November 30, 2014.
Reminder: Medicare eligible hospitals must attest to demonstrating meaningful use every year to receive an incentive and avoid a payment adjustment.
eCQM Submission Deadline
Eligible hospitals and CAHs who are electronically submitting clinical quality measures to qualify for that requirement of meaningful use must submit to qualify for that requirement of meaningful use must submit to Quality Net by November 30 to successfully meet the deadline to be evaluated for a 2014 incentive payment. Hospitals participating in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program need to refer to their state deadlines.
2015 Hardship Exception Deadline
CMS reopened the submission period for hardship exception applications for eligible hospitals to avoid the 2015 Medicare payment adjustments for not demonstrating meaningful use of CEHRT. The new deadline is 11:59 PM ET November 30, 2014.
Eligible hospitals that have never met meaningful use before may apply during this reopened hardship exception application submission period if they were unable to attest by July 1, 2014 AND were unable to fully implement 2014 Edition CEHRT due to delays in 2014 Edition CEHRT availability.
2016 Payment Adjustments
Payment adjustments will be applied at the beginning of FY 2016 (October 1, 2015) for Medicare eligible hospitals that have not successfully demonstrated meaningful use in 2014. Read the eligible hospital payment adjustment tipsheet to learn more.
Note: CAHs have a different payment adjustment schedule. Review the CAH Payment Adjustment and Hardship Exception Tipsheet.
Resources
Attestation resources are available on the Educational Resources webpage of the EHR Incentives Programs website.