New CMS interactive tool helps providers understand CEHRT proposed rule

On May 23, 2014, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology published a proposed rule in the Federal Register that would provide eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals (EHs) and critical access hospitals (CAHs) more flexibility in how they use certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT) to meet meaningful use.

CMS has now released an interactive decision tool that guides EPs, EHs and CAHs through their potential CEHRT participation options for 2014. Providers are prompted to answer questions about their current stage of meaningful use and edition of EHR certification, and then the tool displays the corresponding options in the proposed rule.

As our prior alert summarized, the proposed rule would allow EPs, EHs and CAHs to use 2011 Edition CEHRT, 2014 Edition CEHRT or a combination of both to achieve meaningful use during the 2014 reporting period. The interactive tool helps EPs, EHs, and CAHs understand the options available to them if the proposed rule is finalized.