Eligible Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals: Submit Meaningful Use Data to the Hospital Quality Reporting System (HQR) via the QualityNet Secure Portal in 2018
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) (@CMSGov) is continuing efforts to reduce burden by easing reporting requirements and streamlining data submission methods for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals participating in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs.
What Does This Mean For You?
- Medicare Eligible Hospitals: Beginning January 2, 2018, eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals participating in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program will submit their 2017 meaningful use data to the QualityNet Secure Portal. The Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Program Registration and Attestation System will not be available for Medicare hospitals after December 31, 2017. The goal of this change is to make it simpler for facilities to report data to CMS. Most hospitals are already familiar with using the QualityNet Secure Portal for secure communications and healthcare quality data exchange with CMS.
- Medicaid Eligible Hospitals: The Medicare & Medicaid Registration and Attestation System will still be available for Medicaid eligible hospitals. Medicaid-only hospitals should contact their state Medicaid agencies for specific information on how to attest.
- Medicare and Medicaid Eligible Hospitals: Hospitals attesting for both the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs as dually eligible hospitals will register and attest for the Medicare program in the HQR system. Dually eligible hospitals should contact their state Medicaid agencies to submit Medicaid attestations. Dually eligible hospitals new to the EHR Incentive Programs must register in the EHR Incentive Program Registration & Attestation system and register to use the QualityNet Secure Portal.
Stay Up To Date
As CMS prepares for this transition, stay up to date by:
- Reviewing relevant information on the EHR Incentive Programs website
- Following us on Twitter
- Signing up for the EHR Incentive Programs listserv
CMS will distribute more information on this transition as it becomes available. In the meantime, don’t forget to review the EHR Incentive Programs requirements to ensure you are ready to attest in 2018.
For questions about this transition, please contact the EHR Inquiries Mailbox at EHRinquiries@cms.hhs.gov.