The American Heart Association (AHA) recently applauded the draft legislation from the Senate that could end the “all-or-nothing approach” and implement meaningful use of the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Programs.
“Under this approach, failure to meet any one of the requirements under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, even by a small amount, results in a large payment penalty,” Tom Nickels, AHA executive vice president, said. “This is unfair to hospitals that make good faith efforts to comply, may actually comply with a large percentage of the requirements, expend significant resources and funds in doing so, but still fall short.”
Draft language provides a 90-day reporting period for 2016 as well as following years. This could improve the flexibility that patrons have for applying to hardship exceptions.
“The AHA also recommends expanding the hardship exception categories to allow providers to change EHR vendors during a reporting period to meet their needs, without the additional burden of a payment adjustment,” an AHA representative said in a letter.
Six different senators introduced the draft legislation, including Lamar Alexander (R-TN), chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and John Thune (R-SD).
