Eligible hospitals act now!

In an email alert Monday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reminded eligible hospitals to take action by April 1 to avoid the 2015 payment adjustment under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program.

Beginning October 1, 2014, eligible hospitals that have not successfully participated in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program will be subject to payment adjustments if no action is taken by April 1.

Eligible hospitals that participated in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program in either 2011 or 2012, but did not successfully participate in 2013 due to circumstances that created barriers, can submit a hardship exception to avoid the payment adjustment. The hardship exception application must be submitted electronically or postmarked no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on April 1, 2014, to be considered. If approved, the hardship exception is valid for one year.

Hospitals that have never participated can do either of the following:

• Submit a hardship exception application for experiencing circumstances that posed a significant barrier to achieving meaningful use, using the process described above; or
• Begin 90 days of meaningful use Stage 1 for the 2014 reporting year by April 1 and attest by July 1.

More information about the Medicare EHR Incentive Program is available on the CMS website.