Medicare incentive for meaningful use of EHR Software

Medicare incentives compensate ‘meaningful EHR users’ with an amount equal to an additional 75% of the allowed charge for professional services furnished by physicians.

Medicare Payments and Penalties for Physicians

Non-hospital-based physicians will be eligible for a bonus payment built upon estimates of the allowed charges. The maximum medicare incenive amount, which would be paid either as a lump sum or all at once, are listed by year:

As shown above, Medicare payments are increased by 10% for providers located in a “health professional shortage area.”

Reductions in 2018 depend upon a determination by HHS that fewer than 75 percent of all physicians have adopted and use certified EHRs. HHS is authorized to continue payment reductions if the 75 percent threshold is not achieved, but in no case will the payment reductions go below 95 percent of the Medicare payment to which the provider would have otherwise been entitled.

Medicare Incentive Exclusions

The legislation clearly excludes hospital-based professionals (such as radiologists, pathologists, etc.) who work in an in-patient facility. There is an exception for professionals employed by a hospital, but who work in an ambulatory clinic or have billing arrangements where physicians submit claims to Medicare together with hospitals or other entities. The test for this is based on the setting where the provider furnishes services rather than billing or employment between a provider and hospital or other entity.

Who is a Meaningful user?

At a high level, 'meaningful user' is any Physician who demonstrates to HHS that he is using certified EHR technology in a meaningful manner which includes:

• Use of electronic prescribing
• Certified EHR Technology is connected in a manner which provides for electronic exchange of information to improve quality of healthcare
• Submission of clinical quality measure to HHS

“Meaningful use” is not specifically defined in the bill, but it gives the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) advisory guidance regarding how to determine this. HHS is required to develop and publish universal standards for EHR systems by the end of 2010. EHR vendors will seek certification for meeting these standards, and any provider using a certified EHR system will be eligible for incentive payments.

Read our blog on recently released draft rules on Meaningful Use of Certified EHR.

Our consulting services do not cost you anything. So why not contact us today for a FREE DEMO of an EMR for your specific specialty by simply completing our FREE Demonstration Form.

You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain! Free EMR is not a myth. When you bundle our other services with an EMR, you will be able to tell your other colleagues about your latest ‘Free EMR’.