​The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) invite the public to submit comments on the recently released notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRMs) on Stage 3 requirements and 2015 Edition certification criteria for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. Comments must be received by May 29 to be considered.

About the NPRMs
The CMS NPRM specifies the Stage 3 requirements for eligible professionals, eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals in the EHR Incentive Programs. ONC’s proposed rule outlines the certification and standards to help providers meet the proposed Stage 3 requirements with a 2015 Edition CEHRT.

If finalized, the rules would allow providers more flexibility for reporting by:

• Establishing a single, aligned reporting period for providers based on the calendar year
• Aligning quality data for reporting via a single submission method for multiple CMS programs
• Simplifying meaningful use reporting requirements to eight objectives that focus on advanced use of EHR technology and quality improvement

The Stage 3 proposed rule’s scope is limited to the requirements and criteria for meaningful use in 2017 and beyond. CMS is pursuing additional changes to meaningful use beginning in 2015 through separate rulemaking.

How to Submit Comments 
The public can submit comments in several ways, including via electronic submission or mail:

1. Electronically
   • You may submit electronic comments to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the "Submit a comment" instructions.
2. By regular mail
3. By express or overnight mail
4. By hand or courier

View the Stage 3 and 2015 Edition certification criteria proposed rules online for more information. Submissions must be received by 11:59pm ET on May 29, 2015 in order to be considered.

For More Information 
For more information on the Stage 3 and 2015 Edition certification criteria proposed rules, review the press release and fact sheet.​​