Despite the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently submitting Meaningful Use Stage 3 final rules to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, prominent medical societies are asking the government to delay the Stage 3 rollout. 
In letters to the HHS and OMB, the American Medical Association (AMA) and 41 other medical societies "urgerd the administration to pause the final stages of the federal government's Meaningful Use program in light of pivotal changes to Medicare."
A big reason for the push back by the AMA and these other societies stems from the changes implemented by the Medicare Access and Chip Reauthorization Act (MACRA). According to the letter, the current proposed Stage 3 rules would hinder any development of health care delivery.
"The proposed Stage 3 regulation was developed prior to and without consideration of the changes enacted by MACRA," the release states. "Given the vital role of the Meaningful Use program in the reformed paymenet systems introduced by MACRA, proceeding with the proposed Stage 3 rules threatens to impede the health care delivery innonvations Congress sought to promote when it passed the law."
Although the AMA is advocating for a delay in Stage 3, AMA President Steven J. Stack, M.D. clarified the organization is not looking to halt any EHR progress, but rather is looking to enhance the latter stages of the Meaningful Use program.
"The AMA wants the Meaningful Use program to succeed," Stack said in the release. "Pausing to reassess Stage 3 rules will not stop or delay progress with EHRs. On the contrary, we firmly believe a tempory period of reevaluation will help move the program forward and drive innovation and adoption."
Proposed Stage 3 rules are currently in review. Stay tuned for more information.
