What was
speculation is now official: CMS will accept hardship exceptions for the meaningful use reporting program because of the delayed rulemaking that the federal agency issued for the program's modified stage 2 and stage 3.
The latest guidance from CMS fills in important details about the program. Ultimately, providers will find the filing process less arduous -- and the granting of approval easier to come by. For one, CMS will not require proof of documentation for providers' hardships. And, for the 2015 reporting period, CMS will allow hardships "for reasons related to the timing of the publication of the final rule."
The new guidance, confirmed in the FAQ section of the CMS website (FAQs
14113 and
12845), marks an unofficial admission that the delayed rulemaking put some providers in a hard place.
CMS instructs providers that are planning to cite the late rulemaking as a cause of hardship to choose subcategory 2.2d on the hardship-exception application.
Expect further guidance from Part B News as more information become available.