What Are MU Changes in 2017?
March 29, 2017
Written by Patty Kosednar
There are some changes in the 2017 EHR Incentive Programs requirements from last year. The main change is that Medicare eligible providers will now be reporting meaningful use under the Advancing Care Information category in MIPS. For providers and hospitals continuing to report meaningful use under the Medicaid/Medicare EHR Incentive programs, here are the changes for 2017:
For 2017 –
- Providers and hospitals can choose to report requirements for Modified Stage 2 or Stage 3 (your choice).
- You must use 2015 or a combination of 2014/2015 certified EHR technology to report to Stage 3, 2014 certified EHR for Modified Stage 2.
- The reporting period for 2017 will again be a continuous 90-day period within the 2017 calendar year.
- Medicare EPs will report MU via the MIPS program; Medicaid eligible providers will report MU via the existing Medicaid EHR Incentive Program (same as always).
- For EHs only, you may report to both Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive programs if you are dually eligible. The MU objectives and performance requirements will be different between the Medicaid program and the Medicare program (more info on this below).
- No alternate exclusions are available.
EP Medicaid MU Program
The 2017 Modified Stage 2 requirements for EPs are the same 10 objectives and performance criteria as they were for 2016 except for the following:
- 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.
- CMS Medicaid EP 2017 Modified Stage 2 requirements
If you are interested in reporting to stage 3, here is a link to the requirements: CMS Medicaid EP 2017 Stage 3 requirements.
EH Medicaid MU Program
2017 Modified Stage 2 requirements for EHs are the same 9 objectives and performance criteria as they were for 2016 except for the following:
- 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.
- CMS Medicaid EH 2017 Modified Stage 2 requirements
If you are interested in reporting to Stage 3, here is a link to the requirements: CMS Medicaid EH 2017 Stage 3 requirements.
EH Medicare (CMS) MU Program
Medicare EPs will be reporting via the MIPS program; however, Medicare or dual eligible EHs still need to report meaningful use to CMS via the Medicare EHR Incentive program. For this program hospitals can still choose between reporting Modified Stage 2 or Stage 3. The 2017 Modified Stage 2 requirements and performance criteria for the EH Medicare MU program is the same as 2016 except for:
- Removal of the Clinical Decision Support (CDS) and Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) objectives and measures.
- Reduction of the threshold for View, Download or Transmit (VDT) under the Patient Electronic Access Objective to at least one unique patient (or patient-authorized representative).
- CMS Medicare EH 2017 Modified Stage 2 requirements
If you are interested in reporting to Stage 3, here is a link to the requirements: CMS Medicare EH 2017 Stage 3 requirements.
If you have any questions, or run into issues with any of the meaningful use objectives and would like help please use the “Leave a Reply” section below, or email Patty Kosednar directly with your questions or comments.
Other Resource Links
CMS 2017 MU Requirements
See all 2017 MU Blog Posts
Read all previous MU posts
See our MIPS Blog
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