CMS has announced that it plans to issue regulations this spring to address provider concerns about the burden associated with compliance with Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program meaningful use requirements. Specifically, in a January 29, 2015 blog post by Patrick Conway, MD, Deputy Administrator for Innovation and Quality and CMS Chief Medical Officer, CMS announced that upcoming regulations would:

• Realign hospital EHR reporting periods to the calendar year facilitate hospitals incorporation of 2014 Edition software into their workflows and better align with other CMS quality programs;
• Modify other aspects of the program to reduce complexity and lessen providers’ reporting burdens; and
• Reduce the EHR reporting period in 2015 to 90 days to accommodate these changes.

These changes are separate from another rulemaking expected to be released next month that would address the Stage 3 meaningful use criteria for 2017 and subsequent years.