EHR Incentive Programs News and Resources for Healthcare

CMS Accepting New Promoting Interoperability Measure Proposals

May 16, 2018 - CMS recently announced it is accepting proposals for new measures stakeholders would like to see included in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability (PI) program. The federal agency will accept proposals until June 29. CMS is encouraging stakeholders to submit measure proposals as part of its annual call for measures for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) participating...

Bill Allowing Behavioral Health EHR Incentives Passes Senate

May 09, 2018 by Elizabeth Snell

The bi-partisan Improving Access to Behavioral Health Information Technology Act (S.1732) was passed by the Senate earlier today, allowing CMS to offer incentives to providers that implement behavioral health EHRs. Introduced by Senator Sheldon...

Meaningful Use Hardship Exception Applications Now Available

April 20, 2018 by Kate Monica

Hardship exception applications for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) participating in meaningful use are now available, CMS announced today. Eligible hospitals can submit hardship exception applications to avoid 2019...

AHA, HIMSS Support CMS Plans for Meaningful Use, MyHealthEData

March 09, 2018 by Kate Monica

HIMSS and AHA voiced support for CMS after the federal agency revealed plans to overhaul meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Programs and to promote patient EHR access through the Trump Administration’s MyHealthEData...

EHR Adoption, Interoperability Brought Google Back to Healthcare

March 06, 2018 by Kyle Murphy, PhD

LAS VEGAS—Widespread EHR adoption attracted the likes of Google to return to healthcare and help the industry in its adoption of new and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. On Monday, Google made...

MyHealthEData Initiative to Improve EHR Patient Data Access

March 06, 2018 by Kate Monica

CMS Administrator Seema Verma recently announced a new initiative from the Trump Administration — MyHealthEData — designed to improve EHR patient data access. According to an announcement from Verma during HIMSS18, the initiative...

Indiana Moves to Dismiss Lawsuit Tied to Medicaid Meaningful Use

January 16, 2018 by Kate Monica

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill recently filed a request to dismiss a lawsuit brought against 62 Indiana hospitals for allegedly falsifying records and participating in a kickback scheme involving the release of patient EHRs to meet meaningful...

eClinicalWorks EHR Certification Subject of Recent Legal Action

January 04, 2018 by Kyle Murphy, PhD

Carrollton Family Clinic of Mississippi is taking legal action following the $155-million settlement between eClinicalWorks and the Department of Justice over allegations that the EHR company falsely obtained certification for its EHR software....

Eligible Hospitals Must Use QNet for Meaningful Use Attestation

January 02, 2018 by Kate Monica

CMS recently issued a reminder that eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) participating in the EHR Incentive Programs must use the QualityNet Secure Portal (QNet) to submit meaningful use attestations in 2018. “As of January...

DOJ Recovered $2.4B in Healthcare False Claims Act Cases in 2017

December 29, 2017 by Kate Monica

The Department of Justice (DOJ) recovered approximately $2.4 billion from healthcare False Claims Act cases in 2017, according to an announcement by the federal agency this month. In total, DOJ recovered $3.7 billion in settlements and judgements...

Cancer Practice to Pay $26M for False Meaningful Use Attestations

December 14, 2017 by Kate Monica

21st Century Oncology reached a settlement with the Department of Justice to resolve allegations that the healthcare organization submitted false or inflated meaningful use attestations. The $26 million settlement will also resolve separate allegations...

Critical Access Hospitals Hardship Exception Deadline Nears

November 29, 2017 by Kate Monica

The hardship exception deadline for critical access hospitals (CAHs) that did not achieve meaningful use during the EHR Incentive Program 2016 reporting period closes on November 30. CAHs looking to avoid a 2018 payment adjustment can apply for...

EHR Clinical Decision Support Alerts Increase HPV Vaccination

November 21, 2017 by Kate Monica

Physicians using EHR systems with clinical decision support are more likely to lead to the ordering human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines when alerts are included, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC). Bae...

CMS Details 2018 Meaningful Use Payment Adjustments

October 10, 2017 by Kate Monica

“Eligible hospitals that do not successfully demonstrate meaningful use for an EHR reporting period associated with a payment adjustment year will receive reduced Medicare payments for that year,” clarified the federal agency in a...

CMS Moves Meaningful Use Attestation System to Secure Portal

October 04, 2017 by Kate Monica

CMS is moving the data reporting process from the EHR Incentive Program Registration and Attestation System to the QualityNet Secure Portal (QNET) to simplify meaningful use attestation for eligible hospitals. The change will go into effect on...

Why Are Physicians Hesitant to Invest in Value-Based Care?

September 26, 2017 by Kyle Murphy, PhD

Federal quality reporting programs aim to improve the patient experience and health of populations and reduce the cost of care, goals their participants are clearly in favor. However, the latter take umbrage with the expense required of physicians,...

EHR Incentive Programs