The Next Steps: An Overview of Meaningful Use Stage 2

Important Upcoming Dates for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program and Information on the Payment Threshold for EPs

On Monday, March 26, 2012 at 1 p.m. EDT, National eHealth Collaborative's NeHC University will be joined by Robert Anthony from CMS's Office of E-Health Standards and Services to give an overview of the proposed rule for meaningful use Stage 2. Robert will also detail the qualifications necessary to be a Stage 2 meaningful user of electronic health records and the implications of the requirements for data sharing and patient engagement.

 

We invite you to register and join NeHC University's Briefing on Stage 2 meaningful use. There is no charge for this webinar.

Learn more about NeHC University programs!

Questions? Email NeHC University at university@nationalehealth.org.

Register Now for the EHR Incentive Programs

Ensure Your Success in the EHR Incentive Programs by Registering Early

CMS recommends that all eligible professionals (EPs) register as early as possible for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. 

Registering does not mean you are required to participate. By registering early, however, you can make sure your information is completely up to date in all of the CMS systems and resolve any issues which might otherwise prevent you from participating in the EHR Incentive Programs. If you do not resolve registration problems, you will not be able to attest and could potentially miss out on a payment year. 

Give yourself plenty of time and register today. For more information on registration in the EHR Incentive Programs, visit the Registration page of the EHR website. 

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.

Register for a Joint CMS and PAHCOM Webinar on the EHR Incentive Programs

Join CMS for a Webinar Providing an Introduction and Overview of the EHR Incentive Programs on March 22

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Professional Association of Health Care Office Management (PAHCOM) are holding a free and open webinar on the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs on March 22, 2012, from 3:00 – 4:00 pm ET. 

Description:
The webinar, EHR Incentive Programs - Introduction, Overview and Structure, will provide an overview of how the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs are structured and administered, and will provide key insights for providers regarding their participation and navigation of the programs. 

To Register:
Interested individuals can register online. 

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.

 

Take a Look at CMS’ New Testimonial Videos from the 2011 AOA Conference

Take a Look at CMS’ New Testimonial Videos from the 2011 AOA Conference 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted a series of new videos about the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs to the CMS YouTube channel. 

At the 2011 American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Conference, CMS filmed seven conference attendees, who provided their stories about EHRs and the EHR Incentive Programs. In the series, the testimonial videos discuss topics such as benefits of EHRs and navigating the Incentive Programs.

 

The videos are:

• Chris Brogan's EHR Story from the 2011 AOA Conference


• EHR: Dr. Norman Vinn's EHR Story from the 2011 AOA Conference


• EHR: Drs. Jeffrey and Melissa Gastorf's EHR Story from the 2011 AOA Conference


• EHR: Richard Rapp's EHR Story from the 2011 AOA Conference


• EHR: Scott Webb's EHR Story from the 2011 AOA Conference


• EHR: Scott Webb's EHR Story from the 2011 AOA Conference


• EHR: Suzie Shettle's EHR Story from the 2011 AOA Conference

Make sure to take a look at CMS' additional EHR videos that are located on the CMS YouTube channel. They include: additional provider testimonials and EHR incentive payment highlights. 

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.

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.