The CMS EHR Incentive Program is going full bore. Over $390,000,000 was paid out in November alone by Medicare to Eligible Professionals (EP) and Eligible Hospitals (EH). That doesn’t even include the Medicaid incentives. Seems like every possible EHR is certified, EPs and EHs are registering, and we’ve even seen the Stage 1 early 2011 [...]

Payment Statistics for CMS EHR Incentives for Eligible ProfessionalsThe proof is in the pudding. The case of CMS EHR incentive programs continue to produce remarkable statistics that demonstrate that Health Information Technology is being adopted.The rate of EPs (eligible professionals) receiving Stage 1 Medicare incentives continues to accelerate. In May a total of 281 EPs [...]

The ability of ONC-ATCB certified EHRs to accurately generate meaningful use data is being brought into question. A complete certified EHR must be able to ’electronically record the numerator and denominator and generate a report including the numerator, denominator, and resulting percentage associated with each applicable meaningful use measure.’ This module, Automate Measure Calculation, generates [...]

Sometimes things are not what they seem and what may appear simple is complex upon closer examination. A case in point: meaningful use objective for vital signs.The documentation of vital signs is a required core measure for meaningful use and the CMS EHR Incentives for eligible professionals (EP). The measure is very clear: ’For more [...]

There are two questions from Eligible Professional specialists about the CMS EHR Incentives that I’m asked over and over again.Question 1: “Do specialists have to meet all of the required Core Set Meaningful Use objectives? We don’t do vitals, we don’t prescribe, we don’t ______ (fill in the blank).’The Meaningful Use tablets that Moses brought [...]

By now we all (hopefully) know the ABCs of the CMS EHR Incentive Program: Registration ’Meaningful Use of Certified EHR Technology’ Attestation. After attestation you hope to get a check so you can go out and buy your second iPad plus a few other toys. Maybe even take a trip to that all-inclusive resort in [...]

There is an Open Secret: CMS knows it. ONC knows it. Certainly the ONC-ATCBs know it. TheCertified Health IT Product List should be approached with extreme trepidation. Let the provider beware. The site clearly states that the list is composed of Certified Complete EHRs and Modules that have met the ’certification criteria as identified in [...]

Stage 2 Meaningful Use for Eligible Professionals and Eligible Hospitals looks a long way off. We are still out of breath from climbing the rock face to Stage 1 Meaningful Use and most EPs and EHs are still climbing. Maybe it is time to find a plateau, refill our water canteens and gain our bearings. [...]

We all know that Eligible Professionals have the option of participating in either the Medicare or Medicaid EHR incentive programs. Since an eligible provider can only participate in one of the programs there is no doubt that if they are eligible for both programs, Medicaid is always the option of choice.I’m surprised that Medicaid EPs [...]

We knew they would be coming. We just weren’t sure how and when audits related to the CMS EHR Incentive Programs would first appear. Well, we still don’t know much about the Medicare audits, but details of the Medicaid audit process are starting to dribble out.