​To keep you updated with information on the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, CMS has recently added nine new and three updated FAQs to the CMS FAQ system. We encourage you to stay informed by taking a few minutes to review the new information below.

New FAQs:

1. If an eligible hospital or critical access hospital (CAH) does not have any reportable lab results during the EHR reporting period (for example, the eligible hospital or CAH outsources all lab testing to a commercial lab or does not perform any lab tests for conditions that are reportable in their jurisdiction) can they be excluded from the requirement in the EHR Incentive programs to submit reportable lab results to a public health agency? Read the answer.
2. If a hospital operates in a jurisdiction where a public health agency has the ability to accept certain reportable laboratory results electronically and in the required standards, but the hospital does not generate those particular reportable laboratory results, how must the hospital attest to the core measure for Electronic Reportable Laboratory Results? Read the answer.
3. Am I permitted to count a patient in the numerator of the “record demographics” objective and measure if the preferred language I record for the patient is outside of the minimum required by the standard for Certified EHR Technology? Read the answer.
4. If an eligible provider fails to meet meaningful use during a participation year in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program, can he/she continue to participate and earn incentives? Read the answer.
5. What is the deadline for EPs to submit attestations to meaningful use for 2013 in the EHR Incentive Programs? Read the answer.
6. What is the deadline for eligible hospitals and CAHs to submit attestations to meaningful use for 2013 in the EHR Incentive Programs? Read the answer.
7. What is the CMS EHR Meaningful Use Audit Team?  Read the answer.
8. When maintaining an up-to-date problem list as part of achieving meaningful use in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, can both SNOMED CT as well as non-SNOMED CT (for example ICD-9 or ICD-10) elements be included to meet the measure? Read the answer.
9. Can a hospital receive credit for any of the Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program requirements by electronically submitting the Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs) for the EHR Incentive Program? Read the answer.

 

Updated FAQs:

1. For the Stage 2 meaningful use objective of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs that requires the successful electronic exchange of a summary of care document with either a different EHR technology or the CMS designated test EHR, if multiple EPs are using the same certified EHR technology across several physical locations, can a single test meet the measure? Read the answer.
2. What is the maximum EHR incentive an EP can earn under Medicare? Read the answer.
   
3. Will the CMS conduct audits as part of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs? Read the answer. Read the answer.