Attestation

Am I able to count an exclusion as a menu item?

Beginning in 2014, EHs and CAHs will no longer be permitted to count an exclusion toward the minimum of five menu objectives on which they must report if there are other menu objectives which they can select.

Do we need to report through the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) to successfully attest to Meaningful Use, or will we be able to report Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs) through the Thrive software?

No, sites do not need to report Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs) through the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) to attest for Meaningful Use. PQRS is a separate program from Meaningful Use. Running the National Quality Forum (NQF) Clinic Tables Report and electronically submitting this to CMS will meet the CQM reporting requirement.

How will I attest for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs?

EPs will have to demonstrate Meaningful Use through the CMS Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program Registration and Attestation System. In the Registration and Attestation System, providers will fill in numerators and denominators for the Meaningful Use objectives, indicate if they qualify for exclusions to specific objectives, and legally attest that they have successfully demonstrated Meaningful Use. Once providers have completed a successful online submission through the Attestation System, they will qualify for a Medicare EHR incentive payment. Starting no later than 2014, there will also be a batch file upload option. For the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, providers will follow a similar process using their State's Attestation System. Sites eligible for Medicaid EHR incentives should contact their state for additional information.

If our EPs attest for adopt, implement or upgrade (AIU), does this count as Year 1 for Medicaid?

No, attesting to adopt, implement or upgrade (AIU) in the Medicaid EHR incentive program does not count as Meaningful Use. EPs may attest to AIU but will still need to meet two years in Stage 1. Under the Medicaid incentive program, EPs will attest for 90 consecutive days during year 1 and will attest for a full 365 days during year 2.

Who should I contact when my clinic decides we are ready to move forward with our plans to begin our attestation period with our EPs?

Please contact your CPSI Account Manager.

Do I need to have to have an installed EHR system in order to register for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs?

No, you do not need to have a certified EHR in order to register for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.

Is there a website I can go to see if my facility will meet the objectives required for Stage 1?

Yes, this online tool assists providers and hospitals to test whether or not they would successfully demonstrate Meaningful Use for the EHR Incentive Programs.

How long after I attest should my Medicare incentive payment arrive?

Your facility will need to contact CMS for payment information.

How can I change my attestation information after I have attested and/or received an incentive payment?

Your facility would have to contact CMS to determine the error and re-attest with the correct information.

What is the attestation deadline for reporting any quarter of meaningful use for an Eligible Professional for reporting year 2014?

According to CMS, the attestation deadline for Medicare Eligible Professionals is Feb. 28, 2015. All Medicaid deadlines are regulated by the individual states.  However, most of the time the states honor the same deadlines set by CMS for Medicare.

Is the attestation period different for 2014?

Yes. For 2014 only, all providers are only required to demonstrate Meaningful Use for a 3-month EHR reporting period, regardless of their stage. For Medicare providers, this 3-month reporting period is fixed to the quarter of the calendar year in order to align with existing CMS quality measurement programs, such as the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS). The 3-month reporting period is not fixed for Medicaid EPs that are only eligible to receive Medicaid EHR incentives, where providers do not have the same alignment needs. CMS is permitting this one-time, 3-month reporting period in 2014 only so that all providers who must upgrade to 2014 certified EHR technology will have adequate time to implement their new, certified EHR systems.

Is there somewhere I can review documentation on how my Medicare Incentive Payment will be calculated?

Yes, CMS created tip sheets for EPs, EHs and CAHs to assist with explaining Medicare reimbursement.

Our state requires our EPs to supply the number of patients seen during the given reporting period and the number of these accounts that utilized the EHR. How do you recommend I generate this information?

This information can be gathered via the RHC Encounters Report.

The path for the report is as follows: Clinic Base Menu > Print Reports > Medical Records > Page 2 > RHC Encounters Report. (This is the last option in the JCAHO/Agency Reports section located in the center column.) Enter the date range you are reporting for and generate the report.

As long as all of the patients seen are entered into the Thrive system and marked as an encounter on the visit screen, they will be counted in this report.