HHS: Final EHR rule for 2015 includes 90-day calendar year reporting period

As the Sept. 30 deadline for reporting meaningful use of electronic health records for fiscal year 2015 approaches, the Department of Health and Human Services has sent to the Office of Management and Budget for review a final rule changing the 2015 reporting period to a 90-day period aligned with the calendar year, according to a description posted at OMB. If finalized as proposed, the rule would give hospitals and other participants in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR programs until Dec. 31 to meet meaningful use requirements for 2015. According to the posted description, the rule also aligns the reporting period in 2016 with the calendar year; modifies the patient action measures in the Stage 2 objectives related to patient engagement; and streamlines the program by removing reporting requirements on measures “which have become redundant, duplicative or topped out.” Eight national hospital organizations, including the AHA, last month urged HHS to finalize the 90-day reporting period and certain other proposed flexibilities. HHS also has sent its final rules for Stage 3 meaningful use and 2015 Edition EHR certification criteria to OMB for review, highlighting some of their final provisions as well.