Last Day to Attest for a 2011 Incentive Payment

EPs Have Until 6:00 am EST tomorrow to Complete Attestation for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program

Today, February 29, 2012, is the final day that eligible professionals (EPs) can submit their attestation for calendar year (CY) 2011 for the Medicare EHR Incentive Programs. The Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Program Registration and Attestation Systemwill be open until 6:00 AM EST tomorrow, March 1, 2012, giving EPs a few extra hours to meet the deadline for registration and attestation for CY 2011. 

EPs can make sure that they are prepared for attestation by using the Meaningful Use Attestation Calculator, which allows EPs to test their meaningful use core and menu measures.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?

Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs.

Release of the ONC Standards & Certification Criteria NPRM

Second Notice of Proposed Rulemaking related to Stage 2 Meaningful Use Released

On Friday, February 24, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) announced the release of a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that details the Standards & Certification Criteria (S&CC)that delineate proposed requirements for certified EHR products. 

 

ONC's proposed rule identifies standards and criteria for the certification of EHR technology, so eligible professionals and hospitals participating in the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs can be sure that the systems they adopt are capable of performing the required functions to demonstrate either stage of meaningful use that would be in effect starting in 2014. 

This proposed rule complements the newly released CMS proposed rule for Stage 2 requirements for the Incentive Programs, clarifying the specifications necessary to meet the criteria for these programs. Together, these rules will encourage even more providers to participate and support more coordinated, patient-centered care. 

Resources related to the NPRMs:

• CMS fact sheet


• ONC fact sheet


• HHS press release


• Presentation: Proposed Rule Standards & Certification Criteria 2014 Edition

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?

Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website at http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs.

CMS is at the HIMSS 2012 Conference!

Visit the CMS Booth and Attend CMS Presentations at HIMSS 2012

CMS is participating in this year’s Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Annual Conference & Exhibition in Las Vegas, Nevada from February 21-24. Representatives from the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs will be at Booth #14624 during exhibit hall hours to discuss all of your questions about the programs. There will also be computers available at the booth so attendees can work with a CMS representative to register for the programs on site.

Today’s CMS Booth Session

If you are at HIMSS, you can attend today’s CMS presentation “Medicaid Patient Volume” held at the CMS booth. The presentation will be held today from 3:00 to 3:30 pm PT.

Today’s CMS Educational Sessions (Not Held at the Booth)

CMS will be presenting at the following educational sessions today, which will be held in the meeting rooms listed below:

• Session #17 - CMS Townhall - Lando 4303 (9:45-10:45 am PT) 


• Session #33 - Focus on Meaningful Use Stage 1- San Polo 3503 (11:00 am-12:00 pm PT)

Join the Twitter Conversation!

CMS will be tweeting from HIMSS12 about CMS’ EHR presentations and other HIMSS12 news. Make sure to join the discussion by following the @CMSGov Twitter handle, and look for tweets with the hashtags #CMSEvent and #HIMSS12.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?

Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website at http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs.

CMS Has Updated the EHR Information Center with New Self-Service Options

Following months of review and collective input, the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Information Center Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system has been enhanced to provide users with an increased number of options and services to make accessing and reviewing data easier than ever before.

For eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals or critical access hospitals (CAHs), the revised functionality vastly improves the efficiency in obtaining the desired information, while also offering a more varied amount of information and options for callers. 

CMS is proud to announce that providers can now obtain information through an extensive IVR Self-Service option. Included in this option is a reinforced privacy protection module that requires your individual National Provider Identifier (NPI), the last five digits of your Tax Identification Number (TIN) and your EHR registration ID. Once accepted, this newly enhanced Self-Service tool allows you to:

• Obtain registration status


• Acquire attestation status


• Review payment information


• Check progress towards meeting the $24,000 threshold amount

Users may access these new options by following the steps outlined below:

• Begin by dialing (888) 734 6433


• Press 3 for Self Service


• Enter the authentication elements

These options will be available on the IVR effective February 16, 2012.

EHR Information Center Hours of Operation:

7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.

(Please note that General Information and Self-Service options may be reached via IVR 24 hours a day, except during periods of planned system maintenance or upgrades).

Supplementary information on the program may also be viewed by visiting the FAQs section of the EHR Incentive Programs website, where users can search for any questions they have about the Medicare or Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?

Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs.

Stay Informed Via the CMS EHR Incentive Programs Listserv

Congratulations on registering for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs.

We want to invite you to join a free email service to receive CMS' latest news on the EHR Incentive Programs. The CMS EHR Incentive Program listserv provides timely information on program requirements and changes in the EHR Incentive Programs.

 

By subscribing to this listserv, you will receive early notification of new program developments, the availability of new resources, and the addition of any new Frequently Asked Questions that are published on the CMS EHR Incentive Programs' website.

 

Click here to join the listserv and visit the listserv section of the EHR Incentive Programs website to take a look at some of the recent messages we have sent. We encourage you to let others know about the CMS EHR Incentive Program listserv, and to share its messages.

 

Note: Make sure to add cmslists@subscriptions.cms.hhs.gov to your approved senders list so that the EHR Incentive Programs listserv messages do not get caught in your spam folder

 

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?

Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website for complete information about the CMS Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.

New Functions of the EHR Information Center: More Options in the Call System

CMS Has Updated the EHR Information Center with Enhanced Functionality

CMS is proud to announce that after a review of collected feedback, enhancements and changes have recently been made to the EHR Information Center Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. 

Among these caller-friendly revisions is a new feature to assist with Hot Topics, including registration and attestation, as well as updated Password Reset menus. These improvements will enable eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) to obtain information about the EHR Incentive Program more easily and efficiently.

Directions for Calling the EHR Information Center

1. To contact the IVR, dial 1-888-734-6433 (primary number) or 888-734-6563 (TTY number).

2. Take advantage of the new options from the main menu by doing the following:

• Press 1 for Hot Topics
  
  
  
  • For information on when registration begins, press 1.
  
  
  • For information on attestation, press 2.
  
  
  • For information on being a dually-eligible hospital, press 3.
  
  
  • For information on registration tips, press 4.
  
  
  • For information on payment time frames, press 5.
  
  
  • For information on important upcoming dates, press 6.
  
  
  • For information on the clinical quality measures (CQM) eReporting pilot, press 7.
  
  
  • For information on HPSA payments, press 8.
  
  
  
  

• Press 2 for Information on NPPES and PECOS password resets
  
  
  
  • For EPs needing NPPES/PECOS password resets, press 1.
  
  
  • For eligible hospitals needing PECOS password resets, press 2.
  
  
  
  

• Press 0 to speak with an information specialist.
  
  
  
  • For registration questions, press 1.
  
  
  • For all other questions, press 2. 
  
  
  
  

• Press # to repeat the menu
  
  
  
  • To listen to your available menu options, press #.
  
  
  
  

EHR Information Center Hours of Operation:

7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.

(General information is available on the IVR 24 hours a day, except during planned system maintenance.)

Program information can also be found on the FAQs section of the EHR Incentive Programs website, where users can search for any questions they have about the Medicare or Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?

Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs.

Proposed Delay of Stage 2 of Meaningful Use

Proposed Meaningful Use Timeline Changes Encourage Adoption of EHRs

In response to significant input from multiple stakeholders, expert testimony, and countless hours of review, analysis and deliberation, HHS announced its intention to delay the start of Stage 2 meaningful use for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs for a period of one year for those first attesting to meaningful use in 2011. CMS intends to propose such a delay in the Stage 2 meaningful use Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), which is scheduled to be published in February 2012.

Why Did We Make this Decision?

Input from the vendor community and the provider community makes clear that the current schedule for compliance with Stage 2 meaningful use objectives in 2013 poses a challenge for those who are attesting to meaningful use in 2011.

The current timetable would require EHR vendors to design, develop, and release new functionality, and for providers to upgrade, implement, and begin using the new functionality as early as October 2012.

 

What are the Benefits to the Proposed Delay? 

We believe that a proposed delay will be beneficial for several reasons:

• We hope that this will give vendors added time to develop certified EHR technologies for Stage 2, as well as give providers additional time to implement new software and meet the new requirements of Stage 2.

• We also intend to propose maintaining the current expectation for those first attesting to meaningful use in 2012, so that all providers attesting to meaningful use in 2011 or 2012 will begin Stage 2 in 2014.

• We believe this provides an added incentive for providers to attest to meaningful use in 2011 and rewards early participants.

Under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, providers who attest early receive greater incentives. And now those providers who first attest in 2011 are eligible for three payment years for meeting the Stage 1 criteria, while those first attesting in 2012 can only have two payment years under Stage 1 criteria.

Are Medicaid Program Participants Affected?

Because Medicaid providers can receive an incentive payment for adopting, implementing, or upgrading to certified EHR technology in their first year of Medicaid EHR Incentive Program participation, Medicaid providers will still be able to attest to Stage 1 meaningful use for the next two years (first for a 90-day period, then for a 365-day period). 

Therefore, most Medicaid providers do not attest to Stage 2 requirements until 2014 at the earliest.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?

Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs. 

CMS has a New Data and Reports Web Page for the EHR Incentive Programs

New Web Page Provides Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs Payment and Registration Data

CMS has created a new web page where you can find Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program payment and registration data. The page includes up-to-date information about the programs through October 2011. The new web page will be your resource for updates regarding the programs' registration, payment, and state Medicaid launches.

Overview of Content on the Data and Reports Page

The web page includes the following information:

• A Map that Illustrates a State Breakdown of Payments to Medicare and Medicaid Providers


• A Map that Illustrates a State Breakdown of Registration by Medicaid and Medicare Providers


• A Map that Illustrates a State Breakdown of Registration by Medicare Providers


• A Map that Illustrates a State Breakdown of Registration by Medicaid Providers


• Individual State Report of Registrants and Payments


• Updates on State Launches of Medicaid EHR Program


• List of Recipients of Medicare EHR Incentive Program Payments

You can use the maps to see how your state compares to others in registration and paymenttotals for the EHR Incentive Programs. 

 

October Highlights 

Below are some highlights about the EHR Incentive Programs from data through October 2011 that are now featured on the new page:

• Over 135,000 Medicare and Medicaid providers have registered for the programs


• Over $525 million in Medicare payments have been provided to eligible professionals and eligible hospitals


• Over $710 million in Medicaid payment have been provided to eligible professionals and eligible hospitals

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?

Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs. 

New Interactive Guide for EPs in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program

Take a Look at CMS’ New Medicare EHR Incentive Program Guide for Eligible Professionals (EPs)

CMS has created a new comprehensive tool, An Introduction to the Medicare EHR Incentive Program for Eligible Professionals, to help guide EPs through all of the phases of the Medicare EHR Incentive Program—from eligibility and registration to attestation and payment. Chapters provide information on:

• EHR Incentive Program basics


• How to participate (determining eligibility and registration)


• Meaningful use and choosing measures


• Attestation


• Helpful resources on the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs

The guide is interactive. Users can click on sections of the Table of Contents to learn more about specific areas of the program. Interactive tabs are also included at the bottom of each page where users can jump from chapter to chapter. Additionally, each section provides readers with user-friendly screen shots, charts, and links to the CMS website.

Note: If a user prefers a hard copy document, the guide can also be printed. Links are written out and hyperlinked throughout the guide.

The guide can be found on the Educational Materials section of the EHR website, along with several other helpful tools and resources for participants in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?

Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs. 

Important Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs Deadlines and Resources for Hospitals

Reminder of Upcoming Deadlines and Helpful Resources for Eligible Hospitals and CAHs Participating in the EHR Incentive Programs

CMS wants to remind eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) of key registration and attestation dates for the EHR Incentive Programs, and provide resources to help them successfully register and start their path to payment for 2011.

Important Registration Details for Medicare and Medicaid

• Medicare: November 30, 2011, is the last day for Medicare eligible hospitals and CAHs to register and attest to receive an incentive payment for Federal fiscal year 2011.


• Medicaid: Each state has its own attestation deadlines. Please check with your State Medicaid agency to find out the last day you can attest.

Registration Resources
CMS has a number of resources to help providers successfully register for the EHR Incentive Programs, including:

• A step-by-step Eligible Hospital and CAH Registration Guide for the Medicare and Medicaid programs


• FAQs about registration and other EHR Incentive Programs topics


• A video webinar to help guide eligible hospitals and CAHs through the registration process

Attestation Resources
CMS has an Eligible Hospital and CAH Attestation User Guide, which provides step-by-step instructions for login and completing attestation. CMS also has a Meaningful Use Attestation Calculator, which allows providers to see if they are able to meet all of the necessary meaningful use measures to successfully attest and qualify for an incentive payment.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?
Make sure to visit the EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs.