Physicians will have to attest to meeting Stage 2 meaningful use criteria for 90 days in 2015, officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Jan. 29.

Currently under the meaningful use program, physicians must attest that they met requirements for the entire year or be subject to a Medicare payment reduction. Low attestation numbers for 2015 suggested that many doctors would not be able to meet the full year requirement. Additionally, Congress has been looking at forcing the change by a legislative mandate.

The change, along with a few other program modifications, will be detailed in a proposed rule.

“The new rule, expected this spring, would be intended to be responsive to provider concerns about software implementation, information exchange readiness, and other related concerns in 2015,” Dr. Patrick Conway, CMS Chief Medical Officer, said in a Jan. 29 blog post. The changes “would help to reduce the reporting burden on providers, while supporting the long term goals of the program.”

A separate rule on Stage 3 of meaningful use also will be published this year.

Read the full post on the CMS Blog .

gtwachtman@frontlinemedcom.com

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