What is "Meaningful Use"?
The use of a certified EHR in a meaningful manner, such as e-prescribing. for electronic exchange of health information to improve quality of health care and to submit clinical quality and other measures. Simply put, "meaningful use" means providers need to show they're using certified EHR technology in ways that can be measured significantly in quality and quantity.|
New Notices of Proposed Rulemaking for Stage 2 Meaningful Use Released 2.23.12
Two new notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for Stage 2 meaningful use and EHR standards and Certification Criteria have been posted to the Federal Register. CMS released a Stage 2 NPRM defining "meaningful use" of electronic health records for Stage 2 of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR programs. The proposed effective date for eligible hospitals and CAH's is October 1, 2013.
AHA Special Bulletin Stage 2 Proposals
CMS Fact Sheet Stage 2 Measures
AHA Summary Hospital Objectives and Measures
ONC also released a NPRM that details the Standards & Certification Criteria (S&CC) that delineate proposed requirements for certified EHR products as a companion rule to CMS.
ONC Presentation on 2014 S&CC
Requirements for Stage 1 of Meaningful Use (2011-2013)
Core and Menu Set Objectives
For eligible hospitals and CAHs, there are a total of 24 meaningful use objectives. To qualify for an incentive payment, 19 of these 24 objectives must be met. There are 14 required core objectives. The remaining 5 objectives may be chosen from the list of 10 menu set objectives.
For eligible professionals, there are a total of 25 meaningful use objectives. To qualify for an incentive payment, 20 of these 25 objectives must be met. There are 15 required core objectives. The remaining 5 objectives may be chosen from the list of 10 menu set objectives..
Clinical Quality Measures
To demonstrate meaningful use successfully, eligible professionals, eligible hospitals and CAHs are required also to report clinical quality measures specific to eligible professionals or eligible hospitals and CAHs.
Eligible hospitals and CAHs must report on all 15 of their clinical quality measures.
Eligible professionals must report on 6 total clinical quality measures: 3 required core measures (substituting alternate core measures where necessary) and 3 additional measures (selected from a set of 38 clinical quality measures).
Stage 2 Meaningful Use Delayed
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that the department intends to delay the proposed start of Stage 2 meaningful use requirements for the Medicare electronic health record (EHR) incentive program until fiscal year (FY) 2014 (October 1, 2013) for hospitals. Stage 2 was scheduled to begin in FY 2013 (October 1, 2012).
Incentive payments for those hospitals and physicians that qualify under Stage 1 will continue to flow. The table below shows how the delay will affect hospitals that first meet meaningful use in FYs 2011 through 2014. Note that hospitals can begin later but will incur penalties if they do not achieve meaningful use in FY 2015 or later years.
|
First
Payment
year
|
Stage to Be
Met in
FY 2011
|
Stage to Be
Met in
FY 2012
|
Stage to Be
Met in
FY 2013
|
Stage to Be
Met in
FY 2014
|
| FY 2011 |
Stage 1 |
Stage 1 |
Stage 1 |
Stage 2 |
| FY 2012 |
|
Stage 1 |
Stage 1 |
Stage 2 |
| FY 2013 |
|
|
Stage 1 |
Stage 1 |
| FY 2014 |
|
|
|
Stage 1 |
Required information for Hospitals
-
CMS Identity and Access Management (I&A) User Id and Password
- CMS Certification Number (CCN)
- National Provider Identifier (NPI)
- Hospital Tax Identification Number
- Hospital Registration Guide
Required Information for Eligible Professionals
- National Provider Identifier (NPI)
- National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) User ID and Password if you are re-assigning your benefits
- Payee Tax Identification Number
- Payee National Provider Identifier (NPI)
- Eligible Professionals Registration Guide
Attestation for EHR Incentives Resources
* Attestation User Guide for Eligible Hospitals
* Attstation User Guide for Eligible Professionals
* Attestation Calculator
* CAH Incentive Payment Process
outlines additional steps for receipt of EHR incentive payment after successful attestation.
If you have questions or need additional information regarding health information technology, please contact Melissa Hungerford, Mary Matzke or Sally Perkins at (785) 233-7436.