Modern Healthcare reported Friday that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is extending attestation deadlines for the Medicare Meaningful Use / MIPS Incentive Program for the 2013 fiscal year.

What does this mean?

Physicians attesting for 2013 were required to demonstrate Meaningful Use / MIPS by December 31, 2013, and will now have until March 31,  2014 to submit their attestations instead of February 28.

Hospitals attesting for 2013 were required to demonstrate Meaningful Use / MIPS by September 30, 2013, and required to attest by November 30.   Hospitals who successfully demonstrated Meaningful Use / MIPS, but were not able to attest will receive another chance to attest, but must contact CMS by March 15 in order to do so.

To clarify, this extension DOES NOT give providers any additional opportunity to demonstrate and measure Meaningful Use / MIPS. It simply provides another chance for providers who may have difficulty with the attestation process to obtain their 2013 incentive dollars and avoid a 1 percent Medicare payment reduction in 2015.

It’s also important to note that these extensions apply to the Medicare incentive program only. Attestation deadlines for the Medicaid incentive program are unchanged.

If you’re facing the challenge of attestation and looking for assistance, let us know. We’re happy to help you avoid the risk of missing the incentive deadlines.