January 3rd Marked the One Year Milestone for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs

January 3rd was the one year anniversary of the start of registration for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. Over the past year, there has been a tremendous amount of interest in the incentive programs as providers across the country have implemented EHRs. Year one highlights include:

1. 43 states have started their Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs
2. Over 176,000 people have registered for the Medicare and/or Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs
3. Over $2.5 billion has been paid in incentive payments to eligible professionals (EPs) and eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) across the country

CMS has created useful resources to participants in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. A few new resources include:

1. An Introduction to the Medicare EHR Incentive Program for Eligible Professionals

-this interactive guide walks EPs through every aspect of the Medicare program, and provides helpful resources and tips along the way.

2. Updated User Guides – CMS has updated the registration and attestation user guides, which direct EPs and eligible hospitals through CMS’ registration and attestation system. There are five guides that can be downloaded from the Education Materials page of the CMS website.
3. Provider Testimonial Videos – these videos, which can be found on the CMS YouTube channel, highlight providers’ experiences participating in the EHR Incentive Programs.

A Look Ahead
As we move into 2012 and the second participation year of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, CMS is hopeful that providers will begin or continue their participation in the programs, and take advantage of these incentives for meaningful use of EHRs.

If you are considering registering for the programs, but have not done so yet, take a look at the CMS EHR website and use our eligibility tool to find out if you can eligibility tool to find out if you can participate.

Remember: 2012 is the last year in which EPs can receive a full incentive payment in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. Beginning in 2013, EPs will receive a smaller overall total payment.

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