Debate and legal challenges surrounding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), a.k.a. federal health care reform, has caused some questions and confusion about the future of the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Record (EHR) Incentive Programs ("meaningful use").
Meaningful use is actually part of American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA) and not the ACA. Provisions and funding for meaningful use were laid out in the HITECH Act within AARA, securing $19 billion net for incentive payments to physicians and hospitals that use certified EHR technology to meet the required criteria.
To date, over $3.8 billion has been paid in Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive payments to physicians and other eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals across the country. In Michigan, Medicaid has paid 911 EPs a total of $19,295,008 in incentive dollars.
Let's be clear: the meaningful use incentive program will continue regardless of the Supreme Court's eventual ruling on ACA.
On-site HIT Consulting: A 'Meaningful' New MSMS Service
MSMS health information technology expert consulting services are designed to assist physicians in any specialty or practice size to achieve meaningful use - and receive the incentive dollars available for doing so.
MSMS staff will come to your practice to educate you and your staff on how to qualify for the Medicare or Medicaid EHR Incentive Program ("meaningful use") criteria; assist with selection of the program (Medicaid or Medicare), Menu Set and Clinical Quality Measures; and assist with Registration and Attestation for the chosen program.
Get up to six hours of consulting services at very competitive rates just for MSMS members, or choose unlimited consulting for a full year for even more value and longer-term assistance.
For details, contact Dara Barrera at MSMS at djbarrera@msms.org or (517) 336-5770.