Meaningful Use EHR Incentive Program

Meaningful Use EHR Incentive Program

HITECH Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health The HITECH Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama on February 17, 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The ARRA qualifies hospitals and physicians for $17 billion of incentive payments from Medicare and Medicaid over a five-year period. It is specifically under the HITECH Act where it stipulates that hospitals and physicians will be offered $40-$60K in Medicare and Medicaid incentive upon successful demonstration of Meaningful Use with an EHR.

What is Meaningful Use? As defined by the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Meaningful Use is using certified EHR technology to: Improve quality, safety, and efficiency Reduce health disparities Engage patients and families in their health care Improve care coordination Improve population and public health All while maintaining privacy and security. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is a governing-body within the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. ONC s mission involves many aspects of health information technology (HIT) including policy coordination, strategic planning for the adoption of HIT and health information exchanges (HIE), as well as establishing governance for nationwide health. It is ONC who has established the implementation specifications and certification criteria for Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems to be compliant for Meaningful Use.

What are the Three Main Components of Meaningful Use? The ARRA specifies the following 3 components of Meaningful Use: Use of certified EHR in a meaningful manner Use of certified EHR technology for electronic exchange of health information to improve quality of health care Use of certified EHR technology to submit Clinical Quality Measures (CQM)

The Medicare EHR Incentive Program The Medicare EHR Incentive Program provides incentive payments to eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals (EHs), and critical access hospitals (CAHs) that demonstrate Meaningful Use of certified EHR technology. Eligible professionals may receive up to $44,000 over five years under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. There is an additional incentive for eligible professionals who provide services in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HSPA). * To get the maximum incentive payment, Medicare eligible professionals must begin participation by 2012. Important! For 2015 and later, Medicare eligible professionals, eligible hospitals, and CAHs that do not successfully demonstrate meaningful use will have a payment adjustment in their Medicare reimbursement.

The Medicaid EHR Incentive Program The Medicaid EHR Incentive Program provides incentive payments to eligible professionals (EPs), acute care hospitals, and children s hospitals that adopt, implement, or upgrade certified EHR technology in their first year (demonstration of Meaningful Use is not required in order to receive incentive payments). However, in the second year the EP will have to demonstrate Meaningful Use (MU) for a 90-day period. If the EP is already a meaningfuluser, demonstration of MU for a 90-day period the first year and the full year for each subsequent year thereafter is mandatory in order to receive the incentive payments.. Eligible professionals may receive up to $63,750 over the six years that they choose to participate. There will be no payment adjustments under the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program. The EP is highly-encouraged to check with their state or territory to properly register and attest for Medicaid incentive, as the requirements differ by state.

Acronym Translator CMS: DMF: EHR: EIN: EIPIC: EP: FI: FQHC: I&A: IDR: LBN: MAC: MAO: NPI: NPPES: NLR: OIG: PECOS: RHC: SSN: TIN: Centers for Medicaid & Medicaid Services Social Security Death Master File Electronic Health Record Employer s Identification Number EHR Incentive Program Information Center Eligible Professional Fiscal Intermediary Federally Qualified Health Center Identification & Authentication System Integrated Data Repository Legal Business Name Medicaid Administrative Contractor Medicaid Advantage Organization National Provider Identifier National Plan and Provider Enumeration System National Level Repository Office of the Inspector General Provider Enrollment Chain and Ownership System Rural Health Center Social Security Number Tax Identification Number