Thursday, March 1, 2012

CMS Has New FAQS for You on Meaningful Use and Attestation

CMS wants to help keep you updated with information on the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. CMS has recently added five new FAQs on meaningful use and attestation. Take a minute and review them below:

1. For meaningful use objectives of the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs that require a provider to test the transfer of data, such as "capability to exchange key clinical information" and testing submission of data to public health agencies, can the eligible professional (EP), eligible hospital or critical access hospital (CAH) conduct the test from a test environment or test domain of its certified EHR technology in order to satisfy the measures of these objectives? Read the answer.

2. For meaningful use objectives of the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs that require a provider to test the transfer of data, such as "capability to exchange key clinical information" and testing submission of data to public health agencies, if multiple eligible professionals (EPs) are using the same certified EHR technology across several physical locations, can a single test serve to meet the measures of these objectives? Read the answer.

3. For the meaningful use objective of "provide summary care record for each transition of care or referral " for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs, should transitions of care between eligible professionals (EPs) within the same practice who share certified EHR technology be included in the numerator or denominator of the measure? Read the answer.

4. For the “Incorporate clinical lab-test results” menu objective of the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs, how should a provider attest if the numerator displayed by their certified EHR technology is larger than the denominator? Read the answer.

5. How can I change my attestation information after I have attested and/or received an incentive payment under the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program? Read the answer.