CMS Meaningful Use Eligibility Widget

Summary

CMS develops web tool for EHR eligibility, allowing practitioners to choose preferred programs and maximize incentives.

CMS has developed a web tool to help providers determine in which EHR Incentive Program they are eligible to participate. The tool can be found on the CMS EHR Incentive Programs website: http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms. Check it out.

Here are some basics:

  • Incentive payments for eligible professionals are based on individual practitioners.
  • If you are part of a practice, each eligible professional may qualify for an incentive payment if each eligible professional successfully demonstrates meaningful use of certified EHR technology.
  • Each eligible professional is only eligible for one incentive payment per year, regardless of how many practices or locations at which he or she provide services.

Hospital-based eligible professionals are not eligible for incentive payments. An eligible professional is considered hospital-based if 90% or more of his or her services are performed in a hospital inpatient (Place Of Service code 21) or emergency room (Place Of Service code 23) setting.

Who is an Eligible Professional under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program? Eligible professionals under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program include:

  • Doctor of medicine or osteopathy
  • Doctor of dental surgery or dental medicine
  • Doctor of podiatry
  • Doctor of optometry
  • Chiropractor

Who is an Eligible Professional under the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program? Eligible professionals under the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program include:

  • Physicians (primarily doctors of medicine and doctors of osteopathy)
  • Nurse practitioner
  • Certified nurse-midwife
  • Dentist
  • Physician assistant who furnishes services in a Federally Qualified Health Center or Rural Health Clinic that is led by a physician assistant.

To qualify for an incentive payment under the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, an eligible professional must meet one of the following criteria:

  • Have a minimum 30% Medicaid patient volume*
  • Have a minimum 20% Medicaid patient volume, and is a pediatrician*
  • Practice predominantly in a Federally Qualified Health Center or Rural Health Center and have a minimum 30% patient volume attributable to needy individuals.

Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) patients do not count toward the Medicaid patient volume criteria.

Eligible for Both Programs? Eligible professionals eligible for both the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs must choose which incentive program they wish to participate in when they register. Before 2015, an eligible professional may switch programs only once after the first incentive payment is initiated. Most eligible professionals will maximize their incentive payments by participating in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program.

For the most updated eligibility information, go to http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/15_Eligibility.asp#TopOfPage

Nov 14 2011

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