Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it will be implementing a two-week extension period for practices attesting to Meaningful Use. The deadline originally fell on Leap Day - February 29 - but the extension period will push back the final day to March 11.
The extension applies to all eligible professionals, eligible hospitals and critical aspect hospitals participating in Meaningful Use program. 
According to CMS spokesman Jibril Boykin, the move to extend 2015 attestations for Meaningful Use was two-fold:
- Allow medical providers more time to attest
- Better align with Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) submissions deadline on March 11
Providers who are attesting to Meaningful Use for 2015 must measure data within any selected, continuous 90-day period between Jan. 1 2015 and Dec. 31, 2015. The change in the Meaningful Use deadline could be attributed to CMS and their attempt to encourage providers to utilize their "report once" method for both Meaningful Use and PQRS.
Practices may attest to Medicare Meaningful Use programs on the online Registration and Meaningful Use Attestation System, while those attesting to the Medicaid Meaningful Use Programs can contact their state Medicaid contractors to learn how to properly attest.