The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued new guidance to help eligible professionals participate in both the Electronic Health Record Incentive Program and the Physician Quality Reporting System program. Eligible professionals who successfully participate in both programs can receive incentive payments in 2013 and avoid penalties in 2015.
The Meaningful Use program requires reporting of both clinical quality measures and Meaningful Use measures. Physicians also can participate in both programs in 2014. The guidance is part of an initiative to align the different CMS reporting programs and simplify reporting. CMS has issued a timeline explaining the alignment. Timeline