Hardship Exception
Applications to Avoid the 2015 Medicare Payment Adjustment Due November 30,
2014
CMS is announcing its intent to reopen the submission period for
hardship exception applications for eligible professionals and eligible
hospitals to avoid the 2015 Medicare payment adjustments for not
demonstrating meaningful use of Certified Electronic Health Record Technology
(CEHRT). The new deadline will be November 30, 2014. Previously, the hardship
exception application deadline was April 1, 2014 for eligible hospitals and
July 1, 2014 for eligible professionals.
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
(Recovery Act), Congress mandated payment adjustments under Medicare for
eligible hospitals, critical access hospitals, and eligible professionals that
are not meaningful users of CEHRT. The Recovery Act allows the Secretary to
consider, on a case-by-case basis, hardship exceptions for eligible hospitals,
critical access hospitals, and eligible professionals to avoid the payment
adjustments.
This reopened hardship exception application submission
period is for eligible professionals and eligible hospitals that:
- Have been unable to fully implement 2014 Edition CEHRT
due to delays in 2014 Edition CEHRT availability; AND
- Eligible professionals who were unable to attest by
October 1, 2014 and eligible hospitals that were unable to attest by July
1, 2014 using the flexibility options provided in the CMS 2014 CEHRT Flexibility Rule.
These are the only circumstances that will be considered for
this reopened hardship exception application submission period. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM EST November 30, 2014.
More
InformationMore information about the application process will be shared soon. We intend to address this issue in upcoming rulemaking. Visit the Payment Adjustments and Hardship Exceptions webpage for more information about Medicare EHR Incentive Program payment adjustments.
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