It's hard enough for providers to try to absorb the proposed requirements for stage 2 of Meaningful Use, published in the Federal Register March 7. But the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) keeps on changing the rules--this time by issuing an 11-page list of corrections just three weeks before comments on the proposed rule are due.
According to the correction document, published in the Federal Register April 18, many of the corrections fix "technical and typographical errors, which include the spelling out of acronyms, errors in the order of bulleted text, the omission of bullets, regulatory citations and the number of section headings."
But a number of the corrections are substantive in nature, and affect not only the requirements in the rule but also comments that folks have either submitted or are writing up now.
Some of these more substantive corrections include:
- Fixing an error in the threshold number for the e-prescribing measure. The proposed rule stated that the number was 50 percent; the correct number is 65 percent.
- Confusing language on when information must be shared during the transition of care and referrals. It was originally required when "discharged;" now it's when "transitioned," a much broader term.
- The measure for the electronic medical admission record has been completely rewritten.
- Changes to several tables.
This is not the first time that CMS has changed the proposed rule since releasing it in March.
The agency posted its full set of proposed clinical quality measures (CQMs) for Stage 2 on April 6, fully one month after releasing its proposed rules for the Stage 2 implementation.
CMS warned in that document that the proposed CQMs are subject to further modification.
The deadline for comments on the proposed rule--including the changes and additions--is May 7.
To learn more:
- look at the list of corrections
- here are the proposed quality measures
- read the original Meaningful Use Stage 2 rule
- submit comments on the proposed Meaningful Use Stage 2 rule