CMS Has New FAQs on the CMS EHR Incentive Programs!

We want to keep you updated with the latest resources on the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. New FAQs have been added to our website this month. Take a minute and review the new FAQs on attestation, meaningful use, certified EHR technology, and the path to payment.
Attestation

To what attestation statements must an eligible professional (EP), eligible hospital, or critical access hospital (CAH) agree in order to submit an attestation, successfully demonstrate meaningful use, and receive an incentive payment under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program? Read the answer.
Can EPs allow another person to register or attest for them? Read the answer.

Meaningful Use
For the meaningful use objective of "generate and transmit prescriptions electronically (eRx)" for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, how should the numerator and denominator be calculated? Should electronic prescriptions fulfilled by an internal pharmacy be included in the numerator? Read the answer.
For the meaningful use objective to "record and chart changes in vital signs" for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, can an EP claim an exclusion if the EP regularly records only one or two of the required vital signs but not all three? Read the answer.

In order to meet the participation threshold of 50 percent of patient encounters in practice locations equipped with certified EHR technology for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, how should patient encounters be calculated? Read the answer.

If an eligible hospital or CAH has a rehabilitation unit or a psychiatric unit that is part of the inpatient department and that bills under Place of Service (POS) code 21, but that is excluded from the inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS), should patients from these units be included in the denominator for the measures of meaningful use objectives for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs? Read the answer.

Certified EHR Technology
If a provider purchases a certified complete EHR or has a combination of certified EHR modules that collectively satisfy the definition of certified EHR technology, but opts to use a different, uncertified EHR technology to meet certain meaningful use core or menu set objectives and measures, will that provider be able to successfully demonstrate meaningful use under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs?

Read the answer.
Path to Payment
For the 2011 payment year, how and when will incentive payments for the Medicare EHR Incentive Programs be made? Read the answer.

Want more information about the EHR Incentive Programs?
Make sure to visit the CMS EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on the EHR Incentive Programs.

Dallas L Alford IV, CPA is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of North Carolina and owner of Atlantic Financial Consulting, a consulting firm that provides comprehensive medical billing services, practice management consulting, coding audits, Medicare compliance, Medicare RAC support and other general medical practice consulting services.
To learn more about Atlantic Financial Consulting you may visit their website at http://atlanticfinancial.us or contact Dallas L Alford IV, CPA directly at 1 888-428-2555, Ext. 200.