Meaningful Use
CMS established the rule for meaningful use that includes a set of standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria for EHR technology. The Agency is finalizing the requirements and processes necessary for Medicaid Eligible Professionals and Hospitals to attest to meaningful use through the Florida EHR Incentive Program state application. We anticipate that the details for attesting to meaningful use will be available Spring 2012.
Medicaid eligible professionals do not have to demonstrate meaningful use in their first payment year. They only have to demonstrate that they have adopted, implemented, or upgraded certified EHR technology.
In order for an eligible professional to receive payment in the second year of participation, they will have to attest to meaningful use of certified EHR for a continuous 90-day period. In subsequent years, the meaningful use reporting period is the entire calendar year.
The last year for an eligible professional to initiate participation in the Medicaid EHR incentive program is 2016. Calendar year 2021 is the last year a participant may receive incentive payments.
Eligible Professionals
To qualify for an incentive payment, EPs must meet 20 of the 25 meaningful use objectives identified by CMS.
- There are 15 required core objectives.
- The remaining 5 objectives may be chosen from the list of 10 Menu Set Objectives.
Eligible Hospitals
To qualify for an incentive payment, EHs must meet 19 of the 24 meaningful use objectives identified by CMS.
- There are 14 required core objectives.
- The remaining 5 objectives may be chosen from the list of 10 menu set objectives.
*Note: Both Eligible Professionals and Elgible Hospitals are also required to report clinical quality measures as part of meeting meaningful use.
Additional Tools
The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services has created additional tools to help better understand meaningful use. For additional information on meaningful use, visit the CMS EHR Meaningful Use Overview website.
The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services also has additional information regarding Clinical Quality Measures (CQM) availible at the CMS CQM website.
