CMS extends EHR incentive program attestation deadline

In an email alert dated February 7, 2014, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it was extending the deadline for Medicare electronic health record (EHR) Incentive Program reporting attestation. Specifically, CMS is extending the deadline for eligible professionals to attest to meaningful use for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program 2013 reporting year from February 28, 2014 to 11:59 pm ET March 31, 2014.

In addition, CMS is offering assistance to eligible hospitals that may have experienced difficulty attesting. CMS is allowing these eligible hospitals to submit their attestation retroactively.

Both the extension and retroactive submission will allow more time for providers and hospitals to submit their meaningful use data and receive an incentive payment for the 2013 program year, as well as avoid the 2015 payment adjustment.

Providers and hospitals should note that this extension does not impact the deadlines for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program or any other CMS program, including the electronic submission for the Physician Quality Reporting System EHR Incentive Program Pilot.