The Electronic Health Records Incentive Program for eligible professionals started in 2011 and will go until 2016. It depends on the year of participation; eligible professionals can participate for up to five years throughout the duration of the program. The last year for participating in the Medicare EHR Incentive program is 2014.
In order to qualify for Medicare EHR Incentive payments, Medicare eligible professionals need to prove the use of “meaningful use” for each year of participation in the program.
The meaning of “meaningful use” means that the providers need to show that that are using the certified EHR technology in the ways that can be measured in quantity and quality.
The criterion for Meaningful Use is made in three steps over five years.
- Stage 1 implemented in 2011 and 2012 will set the base for information sharing and electronic data capture.
- Stage 2 implemented in 2013
- Stage 3 will be implemented in 2015 and will continue to expand the baseline and develop future rule making.
Deadlines
Stage 1
- If you are going to begin Stage 1 in 2014 then you are required to begin your reporting period on January 1, April 1 or July 1 to avoid Medicare penalties in 2015.
Stage 2
- If you have completed the Stage 1 meaningful use, you can begin the three month reporting period for Stage 2 Meaningful Use.
- The Medicare providers they only need to attest for a three month quarter. They can start in April 1, July 1 or October 1.
- For Medicaid provider they are required to attest only for 90 days and they are not required to align their reporting period to the quarter.
Incentive payments are to be made on the basis of calendar year. The reporting period for the first year is 90 continuous days and the reporting period for the later years will be the entire calendar year.
For calendar years from 2011 to 2016 those eligible professionals who demonstrated the Meaningful Use of certified EHR technology can receive up to $44,000 over the five years under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program.
It is also important to note the penalty provision for 2015 and later. Those Medicare eligible professionals who do not successfully demonstrate the meaningful use their payments will have a negative adjustment to Medicare reimbursement. In the beginning there will be a payment reduction at 1 percent and will increase every year up to 5 percent if a Medicare eligible professional do not demonstrate the Meaningful Use.
Those Medicare eligible professionals who qualify as Medicaid eligible professionals need to select between Medicare and Medicaid incentive programs at the time of registration.
Who Should Upgrade?
Meaningful Use is considered as an optional program and those providers who have participated in the program by October 1, 2014 will have to face Medicare penalties in 2015.
All those providers who are taking part in the EHR Incentive Program need to upgrade their software in 2014. Whether you are starting stage 1, or continuing the stage 1 or starting stage 2 you need to update your software before the start of your three month reporting period.
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