Meaningful Use Stages

When they proposed a final ruling for Meaningful Use, HHS determined that there would be several stages of meaningful use. This graduated process would allow practices to gain a meaningful use footing, and then progress towards the government's ultimate goals.

The accomplished this task by assigned 3 initial stages. Stage 1 has been defined by the Final Ruling, issued on July 13, 2010. Stage 2 and 3 will be defined in later final rulings. The workgroups that created the foundation for the final Stage 1 ruling are already involved in meeting and proposing Stage 2.

This chart displays how the Stages could be implemented. Essentially, the first year you attempt meaningful use, you attempt Stage 1, even if others have been meaningful for years. This chart is regarding EPs only. Hospitals, CAHs, and MA have their own charts, found in the Final Ruling.

This chart could be interpreted to assume that you can delay without penalty. That assumption is false. If you delay your first year (Stage 1) adoption, you will receive less incentive payments.

The government is incentivizing people to adopt Stage 1 as early as possible. To obtain the highest bonus, you must begin meaningful use in 2011 or 2012. Due to the cost of money, the clear incentive is to begin by January 2011.

Meaninful Use Incentive Payments