2017 OPPS final rule – Meaningful Use rules

CMS finalizes 2017 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System rule

On November 1, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized changes to the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS). CMS’ announcement with a link to the OPPS final rule is available here. The Bricker & Eckler Health Care group will author a series of publications summarizing the significant changes/issues in the OPPS final rule; each publication will be specific to an area of law impacted by the OPPS final rule. The first publication in the OPPS series is below. 

Finalized Meaningful Use rules: Quick hits

Included in the OPPS final rule, which CMS finalized on November 1, were new rules for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program. Important points are highlighted below.

What changed:

• The 90 day reporting period was finalized for 2016 and 2017 for all returning Eligible Professionals, Eligible Hospitals (EHs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).
• For Modified Stage 2 in 2017 and Stage 3 in 2017 and 2018:
  • Clinical Decision Support (CDS) and Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) objectives and measures were eliminated.
  • The threshold for some objectives and measures was reduced, generally to the Modified Stage 2 thresholds.
• Beginning in 2017, for all Meaningful Use measures, unless otherwise specified, actions included in the numerator must occur within the EHR reporting period if that period is a full calendar year, or — if it is less than a full calendar year — within the calendar year in which the EHR reporting period occurs. 

What did not change:

• The all-or-nothing approach: participants must attest to all objectives and measures in order to be deemed a meaningful EHR user.
• Stage 3 in 2018 will have a full-year reporting period.

Bricker and Eckler will follow up soon with a full summary of the Final Rule and its implications.