CMS extends 2013 Meaningful Use attestation deadline for providers

Another deadline for the $27 billion Medicare EHR Incentive Program has been extended by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Providers will now have until March 31, 2014, at 11:59 p.m. EST to submit their data for the 2013 reporting year. The previous deadline was February 28.

“This extension will allow more time for providers to submit their meaningful use data and receive an incentive payment for the 2013 program year, as well as avoid the 2015 payment adjustment,” CMS stated in a press release.

In December 2013, CMS extended Meaningful Use Stage 2 deadlines through 2016 and Stage 3 attestation in 2017 after pressure from physician groups and EHR developers who wanted more time to improve interoperability, patient engagement and other requirements. Originally, Stage 2 attestation was in 2014, and Stage 3 in 2016.

Last month, CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) released a new tool that they say will help providers meet the Meaningful Use Stage 2 requirements.

The software, called the EHR Randomizer, is hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The program is designed to help physicians meet the interoperability requirement by exchanging data with established Test Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems.