Illinois Hardship Exemption Deadline for 2016 is July 1st

Eligible providers (EPs) billing for Medicare Part B who did not demonstrate Meaningful Use (MU) during 2016 may be subject in 2018 to penalties on 2016 Medicare Part B billings. If this scenario applies to you, please review the following options.

1) 2018 EP Hardship Exception

To be considered, an EP must describe a significant hardship to demonstrating MU in 2016. Examples are a lack of infrastructure, extreme and uncontrollable circumstances, lack of face-to-face patient interaction, and/or a lack of control over the availability of certified EHR technology.

Application, instructions, and other information can be found here.

The deadline is July 1, 2017, to submit this application to avoid the penalty in 2018.
2) Hardship Exception for First-Time EPs Transitioning to MIPS in 2017

To be considered, an EP must have no prior participation in the EHR Incentive Program and will report on the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Advancing Care Information performance category in 2017.
Application, instructions, and other information can be found here. The deadline is October 1, 2017.

3) Attest to Meaningful Use for the First Time in 2017
A final option to avoid the 2018 penalty may be available to EPs who are not eligible for either hardship exception. If an EP has never demonstrated MU, did not suffer a significant hardship, and will not be transitioning to MIPS, the EP must attest to Meaningful Use by October 1st, 2017 to avoid the 2018 penalty.
EPs participating in the Illinois Medicaid EHR Incentive Program may attest here and all others may attest here.

The deadline is October 1, 2017, to attest to Meaningful Use to avoid the penalty in 2018.
If you have any questions, please contact the Help Desk: