Here are seven insights:
1. The law was intended to remove barriers for physicians to request hardship exceptions from the Medicare reimbursement adjustments in 2017.
2. The hardship exception categories include: poor Internet connectivity; uncontrollable circumstances like disasters or hospital closures; electronic health record issues; and lack of face-to-face patient interaction.
3. CMS must now consider exception requests with a broader understanding as opposed to a case-by-case basis.
4. Multiple physicians and providers can submit one exception request form. Those submitting new applications will not need to provide as much information as the old applications required.
5. Eligible professionals and eligible hospitals with eligible professionals must submit applications by March 15. Eligible hospitals must submit applications by April 1.
6. Those physicians in anesthesiology, diagnostic radiology, interventional radiology, nuclear medicine and pathology do not need to submit applications.
7. Those eligible professionals who started submitting claims to Medicare in 2015 will receive exceptions to payment adjustments in 2016 and 2017. CMS requires these professionals show MU in 2016 or will face penalties in 2018.
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