Meaningful Use / MIPS attestations still accepted, despite the government shutdown

Good news — while many healthcare programs are impacted by the closure of the government, Meaningful Use / MIPS is not one of them. Providers can still attest to Meaningful Use / MIPS and receive incentive payments. In an article this week the contributors at FierceEMR make an interesting point — “The fact that the Meaningful Use / MIPS program–like the Affordable Care Act–continues to operate during the shutdown is ironic, as both programs have come under heavy fire from House and Senate Republicans.” Either way, it’s good news for providers who are looking to receive their incentive payments.

Health exchange roll out complications resulting in negative coverage

While we’re on the topic of the government shutdown and the Affordable Care Act, it’s hard to ignore all of the negative press the health exchange roll out is getting. It appears that the marketplace is not performing as well as everyone would have hoped. Many people are experiencing frustrating technical failures that are preventing their ability to sign up for insurance. Modern Healthcare reported that three-fourths of those who have tried to sign up have reported problems. Hopefully, these issues will be addressed and the site can be optimized to improve performance.

Candid statements by Farzhad Mostashari at the annual CHIME gathering

In his first appearance since departing his position at the ONC, Farzhad Mostashari re-iterates the unlikelihood of Meaningful Use / MIPS delays. In a keynote address at CHIME, he also chided the progress of EHR use and interoperability, stating, “We can’t wait for interoperability — It’s past time.” Healthcare IT News covers his address, here.

Additionally, our own D’Arcy Guerin Gue attended CHIME and will have a full review next week. Be sure to visit HITpoint for more details on the event and her takeaways.