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2017 Modified Stage 2 Program Requirements for Providers Attesting to their State’s Medicaid EHR Incentive Program

Guidance for Modified Stage 2 participation in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs in 2017.

Issued by: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Issue Date: April 25, 2018

CMS is renaming the EHR Incentive Programs to the Promoting Interoperability (PI) Programs to continue the agency’s focus on improving patients’ access to health information and reducing the time and cost required of providers to comply with the programs’ requirements. CMS is also in the process of finalizing updates to the programs through rulemaking. For more information, visit the landing page where CMS will publish updates and additional resources as soon as they are available.

In October 2015, CMS released a final rule that modified the requirements for participation in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs for years 2015 through 2017 as well as in 2018 and beyond. This page provides information on requirements for Modified Stage 2 in 2017.

Medicaid providers who are only eligible to participate in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program are not subject to the Medicare payment adjustments.

States will continue to determine the form and manner of reporting CQMs for their respective state Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs subject to CMS approval.

NOTE: All providers who have not successfully demonstrated meaningful use in a prior year and are seeking to demonstrate meaningful use for the first time in 2017 to avoid the 2018 payment adjustment must attest to Modified Stage 2 objectives and measures.

Objectives and Measures

  • All providers are required to attest to a single set of objectives and measures.
  • For eligible professionals (EPs), there are 10 objectives, and for eligible hospitals there are 9 objectives.
  • In 2017, all providers must attest to objectives and measures using EHR technology certified to the 2014 Edition. If it is available, providers may also attest using EHR technology certified to the 2015 Edition, or a combination of the two.
  • Please note there are no alternate exclusions or specifications available.
  • There are changes to the measure calculations policy, which specifies that actions included the numerator must occur within the EHR reporting period if that period is a full calendar year, or if it is less than a full calendar year, within the calendar year in which the EHR reporting period occurs. Specific measures affected are identified in the Additional Information section of the specification sheets.

Changes to Specific Objectives

EPs

  • Objective 8, Measure 2, Patient Electronic Access: For an EHR reporting period in 2017, more than 5 percent of unique patients seen by the EP during the EHR reporting period (or his or her authorized representatives) view, download or transmit to a third party their health information during the EHR reporting period.
  • Objective 9, Secure Messaging (EPs only): For an EHR reporting period in 2017, for more than 5 percent of unique patients seen by the EP during the EHR reporting period, a secure message was sent using the electronic messaging function of CEHRT to the patient (or the patient-authorized representative), or in response to a secure message sent by the patient (or the patient-authorized representative) during the EHR reporting period.

Eligible Hospitals

  • Objective 8, Measure 2, Patient Electronic Access: For an EHR reporting period in 2017, more than 5 percent of unique patients discharged from the inpatient or emergency department (POS 21 or 23) of an eligible hospital or CAH (or patient authorized representative) view, download or transmit to a third party their health information during the EHR reporting period.

EHR Reporting Period in 2017

  • For all returning participants and all new participants, the EHR reporting period is a minimum of any continuous 90-days between January 1 and December 31, 2017.

Requirements for Medicaid EHR Incentive Program in 2017 Resources

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DISCLAIMER: The contents of this database lack the force and effect of law, except as authorized by law (including Medicare Advantage Rate Announcements and Advance Notices) or as specifically incorporated into a contract. The Department may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not posted on the guidance repository, except to establish historical facts.