From the American Academy of Ophthalmology

First-time participants attempting to meet the Oct. 1 deadline for the federal electronic health record incentive program could still face 2015 penalties, despite the final rule that eases requirements for “meaningful use.” The final rule lets physicians in some circumstances attest to meaningful use this year with 2011 certified EHR technology. However, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will not update its own attestation system to accept the older technology until mid-October. As a result, some first-time attesters using the older systems may be penalized in 2015 because they could not meet the Oct. 1 deadline. The 2015 meaningful use penalty will apply a 1 percent adjustment to covered services under the Medicare physician fee schedule but will not apply to Part B drugs. While these physicians would certainly now qualify for hardship exemptions, the deadline to apply has already passed, having expired July 1.

First-time meaningful users will be able to attest with the older technology once CMS’ systems are updated to avoid penalties in 2016. However, CMS has not announced when it will complete the updates. The Academy is pushing CMS to update its systems before Oct. 1. Physicians beyond their first year of meaningful use must begin reporting by Oct. 3 to comply with this year’s 90-day reporting requirement.

Academy Seeks Relief from IT Challenges Related to Meaningful Use
This week, the Academy met with representatives of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT to educate them about how the IRIS™ Registry helps to improve quality of care. The ONC is part of the Department of Health and Human Services and leads national efforts to implement and use health information technology. ONC sets the technology standards vendors must meet for the federal electronic health records incentive program (“meaningful use”).

The Academy also discussed ophthalmologists’ interoperability challenges with EHRs, and how the IRIS Registry could reduce physicians’ reporting burdens under meaningful use. Specifically, the Academy wants to ensure that all EHR systems work with the IRIS Registry so that all ophthalmologists can participate.

Mobile Meeting Guide – Now Available
Access the easy-to-use Web-enabled 2014 Mobile Meeting Guide from your smartphone, tablet or desktop computer, so you can download handouts, prepare your daily schedule, use the interactive networking community and much more.

Access the easy-to-use Web-enabled 2014 Mobile Meeting Guide from your smartphone, tablet or desktop computer, so you can download handouts, prepare your daily schedule, use the interactive networking community and much more.

AAO 2014 Meeting Guide
This at-a-glance guide is a planning tool for AAO 2014 and Subspecialty Day.

If you registered before Sept. 3 a copy of the Meeting Guide will be mailed to you with your registration materials. You can also pick up a copy at the meeting:

• Bags & Programs counter in Hall A;
• Meeting Information desks in the Grand Concourse, Level 3 or South, Level 1, Lobby.

View the Meeting Guide now. (PDF 7MB)