Meaningful Use

Overview

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) authorizes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide reimbursement incentives for eligible professionals and hospitals who are successful in becoming “meaningful users” of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology.  The Medicare EHR incentive program will provide incentive payments to eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) that are meaningful users of certified EHR technology. The Medicaid EHR incentive program will provide incentive payments to eligible professionals and hospitals for efforts to adopt, implement, or upgrade certified EHR technology or for medical meaningful use in the first year of their participation in the program and for demonstrating meaningful use during each of five subsequent years. This is the content. This is demonstration text. Click 'edit' above to create your own content.

What does it means to you?

Under HITECH, physicians can qualify for up to $44,000 in Medicare bonus incentives if they demonstrate “meaningful use” of an Electronic Health Record. See how AviTracks measures.

A physician who can demonstrate “meaningful use” of an EMR in 2011 would be eligible to receive $18,000 from Medicare for the first year and $44,000 total through 2015. Incentives are reduced for adoption after 2012. Physicians whose practices feature a high volume of Medicaid patients can qualify for up to $65,000 in incentives.

Beginning in 2015, physicians who elect not to use an EHR will be penalized, starting with a 1% Medicare fee reduction. Those who do not adopt an EHR after 2017 will face a 3% Medicare fee reduction.

How are we preparing?

AviTracks is already 90% complaint with the propouse guidelines and we are working to be fully compliance by the end of 2010. Take a look.

Recommendations:

• Plan to start working on meaningful use immediately. There are no major changes expected. All qualifying professionals and hospitals are required to be a meaningful user by 2015 to avoid Medicare penalties.
• Start by filling the gaps based on the proposed requirements.  Avicenna can help you study your current situation and draw a route map of activities to comply with the proposed mandates.
• Finally, make sure the vendors you plan to use to meet meaningful use have defined plans to be certified and that their schedule meets your needs.