The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sent the final rule implementing Stage 2 of the Meaningful Use program to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review July 16, according to Health Data Management. The proposed rule had been issued in February. All proposed and final rules must be reviewed by OMB before they are released. OMB has 90 days to review the rule, which means that the final rule should be expected no later than mid-October. However, both OMB and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services can ask that the review be extended. For instance, HHS sent the final rule implementing changes to HIPAA in the HITECH Act on March 24, and requested an indefinite extension on June 22. Article