Changes to the Meaningful Use (MU) Program for the 2019 performance year have been confirmed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) in a final rule that updates Medicare payment policies and rates under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System and Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System.

This rule is applicable to EPs participating in Meaningful Use because it confirms a 90-day electronic health record (EHR) reporting period for 2019, requires the use of 2015-edition certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT), and lowers the number of MU measures from the 2018 performance year.

Additional components of the rule that apply to eligible hospitals:

• Removes MU measures that do not emphasize interoperability and health information exchange, including some care coordination and patient engagement measures
• Renames several MU measures
• Confirms that Verify Opioid Treatment Agreements and querying a prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) will be optional quality measures in 2019
• Includes two new e-prescribing measures related to opioid prescribing

Read this CMS Fact Sheet to learn more.