EHR Incentive Programs: Program Highlights to Date

Latest Success Data on Provider Participation in the EHR Incentive Programs

CMS has released February 2012 data that highlights program-to-date (since January 2011) participation and payment totals under  the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. The February report documents continued growth in  registrations and payments, including:

• Over 211,500 eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) have registered for the Medicare and/or Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs since January 2011
  
  
  
  • Over 20,000 registered for the Medicare and/or Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs in the month of February
  
  
  
  


• Over 62,000 EPs, eligible hospitals, and CAHs have been paid for successfully participating in the Medicare and/or Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs


• Over $3.8 billion has been paid in Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program payments to EPs, eligible hospitals, and CAHs across the country
  
  
  
  • Over $738 million was paid in the month of February
  
  
  
  

Visit the Data and Reports page on the EHR website to review more of more data on continued acceleration in  registration and payment data.

Helpful Resources 

CMS has created several resources to help participants navigate the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. A few key resources include:

• An Introduction to the Medicare EHR Incentive Program for Eligible Professionals- This interactive guide helps EPs navigate every aspect of the Medicare program and provides helpful resources and tips along the way. A Medicaid guide will be available later this spring. 


• Updated User Guides- CMS has updated the registration and attestation user guides, which walk EPs and eligible hospitals through CMS' registration and attestation system. There are five guides in total and all of them can be downloaded from the Educational Materials page of the EHR website. 


• Provider Testimonial Videos- These videos, which can be found on the CMS YouTube channel, highlight providers' experiences participating in the EHR Incentive Programs.

If you are considering registering for the programs, but have not done so yet, take a look at the CMS EHR website and use our eligibility tool to find out if you can participate. 

Remember: 2012 is the last year in which EPs can receive a full incentive payment in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. Beginning in 2013, EPs will receive a smaller overall total payment. Remember to register early.

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. 

Materials from CMS' National Provider Calls Now Available Online

Take a Look at the Transcripts, Presentations, and Audio Files from Two National Provider Calls on the EHR Incentive Programs

Materials from two of this summer’s National Provider Calls are now online!

CMS’ National Provider Call on July 14, 2011, “Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Program Basics for Eligible Professionals,” provided basic information on the Incentive Programs for eligible professionals, and answered the following questions:

• Who is eligible?


• How much are the incentives and how are they calculated?


• How does one get started?


• What are major milestones regarding participation and payment?


• How does one report on meaningful use?


• Where can helpful resources be found?

CMS’ National Provider Call on August 18, 2011, “Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Program:Understanding Meaningful Use,” provided information about the meaningful use requirements of the EHR Incentive Programs, and covered the following topic areas:

• Defining "meaningful use"


• The requirements for Stage 1 of meaningful use (2011 and 2012)


• Attestation for meaningful use


• Goals of the Meaningful Use Objectives Specification Sheets
  
  
  
  • Stage 1 EHR Meaningful Use Specification Sheets for Eligible Professionals 
  
  
  • Stage 1 EHR Meaningful Use Specification Sheets for Eligible Hospitals 
  
  
  
  


• Question & answer session

Materials from these calls are now available, and include each of the call’s presentations, transcripts, and audio recordings. Materials from both of these calls can be found under the Presentations for Providers section on the Educational Materials page of the CMS EHR Website.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs? 

Make sure to visit the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs websitefor the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs.