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Convert to EHR early to receive incentive payments
LAS VEGAS – Through the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, the government aims to encourage practitioners to move to electronic health records.
“The largest payments are early in the program,” according to Philip J. Gross, OD. “Under Medicare, doctors will receive rewards in the beginning, but they will be penalized starting in 2015. Dr. Gross spoke to attendees here during International Vision Expo and Conference.
“To qualify for payment, you must have a certified EHR, achieve meaningful use objectives, register for the incentive program and attest to the objectives."
“Dr. Gross cautioned that certification of an EHR does not mean that it will be easy to use, do everything you want or increase your income.
“The penalty for not meaningfully using EHRs will continue to increase after 2015, and “if the secretary finds less than 75% of physicians are ‘meaningful EHR users,’ the penalty can increase to a maximum of 5%,” Dr. Gross said.
“Meaningful use requirements consist of 15 mandatory core objectives and five of 10 additional menu objectives.
“Core objectives include recording demographics, smoking status and changes in vital signs; maintaining a medication and allergy list; and e-prescribing, among others. The menu objectives include sending reminders to patients, incorporating test results into your EHR and providing patients with electronic access to their health information.
“Dr. Gross noted that you must be registered in the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) to receive EHR incentives.
“He also noted that practitioners cannot participate in EHR and e-prescribing incentives at the same time “because e-prescribing is one core criterion of HITECH.”