Dive Brief:
- The American Hospital Association sent a letter to CMS last week arguing providers should be given more leeway in their efforts to comply with meaningtful use requirements for EHRs.
- The letter suggests that because of the considerable complexity and difficulty involved in meeting the criteria, it's unfair that those providers who make a good faith effort but miss a particular threshold are considered to have failed in an "all-or-nothing approach."
- The AHA recommends to CMS that providers who meet 70% of meaningful use requirements be designated as compliant.
Dive Insight:
The AHA writes its letter was prompted by the CMS having recently, for the first time, said in discussions between the two groups it did not believe it had the statutory authority to adopt the AHA's flexible approach.
The AHA then outlined a point-by-point rebuttal to that argument, saying it believes CMS does possess the authority to eliminate the all-or-nothing approach to meaningful use and it should do so.
The organization also goes on to "respectfully disagree" with the CMS' contention that a flexible approach would not reduce provider burden.
It also argues a flexible approach would support those providers who are implementing technical functions but may still be in the process of optimization of each function, and therefore still striving to fulfill the requirements of the EHR Incentive Program.