Based on the information we researched, and after confirmation from Medicaid, Medicaid is expected to be ready to accept attestations this July 1^st, 2016.  Attestations for CY 2015 must be submitted between the dates of July 1^st and August 31^st, 2016 or they will not be processed. For the CY 2015 only attestations will be accepted. Eligible Providers may attest to Adopt, Implement, Upgrade, or Meaningful Use for CY 2016 after July 1st.  Do keep in mind that CY 2016 is the last year for Medicaid Providers to start the process and receive the full $63,750 as long as they continue to attest for a period of six years. Current Requirements for 2016 include: Objectives and Measures

• All providers are required to attest to a single set of objectives and measures. This replaces the core and menu structure of previous stages.
• For EPs, there are 10 objectives, and for eligible hospitals and CAHs, there are 9 objectives.
• All providers must attest to objectives and measures using EHR technology certified to the 2014 Edition. All providers may attest to objectives and measures using EHR technology certified to the 2015 Edition, or a combination of the two (if the 2015 Edition is available).

Alternate Exclusions

• EPs, eligible hospitals and CAHs that were scheduled to be in Stage 1 in 2016 may claim an alternate exclusion for an EHR reporting period in 2016 for Objective 3: Computerized Provider Order Entry, Measures 2 and 3 (lab and radiology orders), or choose the modified Stage 2 objective and measures.
• Eligible hospitals and CAHs that were scheduled to be in Stage 1 in 2016, or were scheduled to demonstrate Stage 2 but did not intend to select the Stage 2 eRx objective for an EHR reporting period in 2016, may claim an alternate exclusion for an EHR reporting period in 2016 for Objective 4:  Electronic Prescribing or choose the modified Stage 2 Objective.
• Providers scheduled to be in Stage 1 and Stage 2 in 2016 may claim an alternate exclusion for the Public Health Reporting measure(s) that might require acquisition of additional technologies that they did not previously have or did not previously intend to include in their activities for meaningful use. EPs may claim an alternate exclusion for measure 2 (syndromic surveillance) and measure 3 (specialized registry reporting). Eligible hospitals may claim an alternate exclusion for measure 3 (specialized registry reporting

Changes to Specific Objectives

• The Objective 9, Secure Electronic Messaging: This objective has a phased approach for its measure’s threshold. For 2016, the measure is “For an EHR reporting period in 2016, for at least 1 patient seen by the EP during the EHR reporting period, a secure message was sent using the electronic messaging function of CEHRT to the patient (or the patient-authorized representative), or in response to a secure message sent by the patient (or the patient-authorized representative) during the EHR reporting period.
• Objective 10, Public Health Reporting: In 2016, all EPs must meet two measures, and eligible hospitals and CAHs must meet three measures.

EHR Reporting Period

• The EHR reporting period must be completed within January 1 and December 31 of the 2016 calendar year.
  • For all returning participants, the EHR reporting period will be a full calendar year from January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016.
  • For EPs, eligible hospitals, and CAHs that have not successfully demonstrated meaningful use in a prior year will be any continuous 90-day period.

Required Documentation

• Summary volume report,
• Meaningful Use reports for all measures including CQMs,
• Additional Documentation form,
• Letter from your vendor stating when you installed or gained access to the 2014 certified edition, and HIPAA Security Risk Analysis.