CMS offers tip sheet on MU, quality measures

As the Oct. 1 start date nears for meeting Stage 2 of the meaningful-use criteria for hospitals in the federal electronic health-record incentive program, the CMS has posted a one-page tip sheet for providers on the reporting of clinical quality measures.

The guide reminds providers that in the 2014 payment year, they will be required to electronically report clinical quality measures using the new 2014 criteria “regardless of whether they are participating in Stage 1 or Stage 2” of both the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive payment programs.

For hospitals, the payment year for Stage 2 begins with the start of the 2014 federal fiscal year—Oct. 1, 2013.

The CMS guidance also has a link to the final clinical quality measures for physicians and other so-called “eligible professionals,” whose payment year starts Jan. 1, 2014.

Through February, the EHR incentive programs have paid out nearly $12.7 billion to more than 234,000 healthcare providers, according to the latest data from the CMS.