Q&A
Q: How do I collect $44,000 from Medicare for Meaningful Use?
A: To apply for the Medicare Program Meaningful Use Funds, you will first need to Register. Registration will be online at http://cms.gov/EHrIncentivePrograms. Medicare funds will be paid based on an “attestation process”. For an Eleigible Professional’s first payment year – the Eleigible Professional [EP] must demonstrate Meaningful Use for a continuous 90-day period and attest that they have met 20 required Meaningful Use Measures. Those 20 Meaningful Use measure encompose the 15 Core Measure and 5 Selections from the Menu of Options. Additionally, the EP must be using a qualified system, such as IMS.Q: Will Medicare send me the check?
A: Medicare Meaningful Use payments will be made through either a single payment contractor, your carrier or your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). A new Integrated Data Repository (IDR) will accumulate the EP allowed charges. Payments will be made on a rolling basis dictated by 2 milestones:- CMS ascertains that an EP successfully demonstrated Meaningful Use for the applicable Reporting Period.
- EP’s allowed charges {approx $24,000] have reached the qualifying threshold for maximum incentive payment for that Payment Year.
- For EPs who do not reach maximum thresholds, the payment contractor will disburse an incentive payment the following year.
- CMS estimates EP’s will receive payment 15 – 46 days from successful Meaningful Use attestation.Payments will start as early at May 2011.
Q: When is the distribution of the money going to happen?
A: CMS proposes that it will be distributed on a “rolling basis” after the attestation is received. There is no defined time period you’ll need to wait between submitting your attestation and actually receiving the check.Q: We are a group practice of several providers billing under the same tax ID. Are we eligible for one meaningful use payment or one payment for each provider?
A: The payments are made per eligible professional, not per practice.Q: Wouldn’t it be a requirement for a physician to have available a “portal” or similar setup in order for the provider to meet the definition of meaningful use?
A: There are 10 non-core options of meaningful use criteria which an EP must choose 5. One of those 10 options includes a patient portal allowing the EP to communicate with patients. There are many practices planning to conduct this communication via a portal, but the patient portal is not in the 15 required core meaningful use criteria.Q: What is the difference between CCHIT certification and “meaningful use” certification?
A: CCHIT certifies a comprehensive suite of EHR functionality. IMS v12.0.5 is CCHIT certified for 2008 with the announcement of CCHIT 2011 certification just days away. Meaningful Use certification will likely be a small subset of the CCHIT certification. Details of how EHR’s will be tested, certified and certifying bodies for “Meaningful Use” have not yet been announced.Q: My practice does not see Medicare or Medicaid patients. Ar there any incentives for my practice to adopt EHR and demonstrate meaningful use?
A: Not at this time. Under Glossary Link ARRA provision only providers of Medicare/Medicaid services will receive any reimbursement. However, HHS has the opportunity to offer additional incentives after 2011 based on adoption levels. Also, industry experts predict that private insurers will follow suit and begin to offer incentives and/or penalties based on certain meaningful use criteria, including reporting of quality measures.Q: Will I be required by Medicare to adopt EHR?
A: Neither Medicare, CMS, requires the adoption of EHR, providers who fail to demonstrate meaningful use in the 2014 timeframe face reduction of Medicare payments by 1% a year starting in 2015 and continuing through 2017,Q: Will I be required by Medicaid to adopt EHR?
A: Currently there is no indication that state Medicaid programs will require or penalize providers/practices which do not adopt EHR.Q: Will IMS guarantee that our practice will receive stimulus dollars by using the IMS EHR program?
A: We guarantee that the IMS v12.0.5 or v14 will meet the certification criteria for Meaningful Use set by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information. However, the software itself can not qualify the EP for this funding. Providers must use the software and all areas as noted in the 15 Required Core Set.Q: If I qualify for Meaningful Use funds, then I decide to drop out am I penalized?
A: There are no penalties to providers retiring or no longer practicing or those who choose to no longer participate in the Medicare program.Q: If I do nothing and continue as a participating Medicare provider, will I be penalized?
A: Yes, starting in 2015 you will see a reduction in Medicare payments.Q: Our practice billing staff includes the PQRI code in billing Medicare, will the incentives stop for PQRI once I begin receiving Meaningful Use funds?
A: Eligible Professionals can participate in both PQRI and Meaningful Use.Q: I currently ePrescribing incentive, will this incentive continue?
A: You must choose between the ePrescribing Incentive program or the Medicare Meaningful Use program.Q: We are a multi-specialty group, some providers are Pediatric while others are Internal Medicine. Can we participate in the two different programs?
A: Yes, Eligible Professional within the same practice may participate in either the Medicare or Medicaid Meaningful Use program.Q: We have multiple locations and not all providers are choosing to use a qualified EHR, does this eliminate all providers from receiving Meaningful Use funding at the various locations?
A: If an Eligible Professional practices in multiple locations and more than 50% of the patients are treated in locations using the certified EHR, then the Eligible Professional does qualify. However, those providers choosing not to use a certified EHR will of course not qualify for any funds.