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1 Frequently Asked Questions Florida Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive Program March 9, 2015 Version 4.2 For additional assistance please contact the Florida EHR Incentive Payment Program Call Center at (855) or 1
2 Table of Contents Part 1: OVERVIEW Updated Part 2: ELIGIBILITY Eligible Professionals Updated Part 3: ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD (EHR) SYSTEMS Part 4: HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE Part 5: HOSPITALS Updated Part 6: MEANINGFUL USE Updated Part 7: PARTICIPATION Part 8: REGISTRATION Part 9: PAYMENTS Part 10: PUBLIC HEALTH Updated Part 11: CERTIFICATION FLEXIBILITY RULE Part 12: ACRONYMS 2
3 PART 1: OVERVIEW 1. What is the Florida Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program? The Florida Medicaid EHR Incentive Program provides incentive payments to eligible professionals (EP) and eligible hospitals (EH) as they adopt, implement, upgrade (AIU), and demonstrate meaningful use (MU) of certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT). EPs can participate in the program for up to six years but must begin participation by EHs can participate in the program for up to three years and also must begin participation by EPs and EHs are not required to participate in consecutive years and there is no Medicaid financial penalty for providers that choose not to complete the entirety of the program. The program was launched on September 5, 2011, and is scheduled to continue through In Florida, the Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) is administering the EHR Incentive Program in accordance with the federal government guidelines. The program is funded through the provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), in a section known as the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) Act. Provider payments are funded 100% by federal funds. The goal of the program is to promote the adoption and meaningful use of CEHRT by providers. This activity is a building block to the larger vision of health information technology (Health IT) as a platform that serves to improve communication between patient and provider, empower patients to be more involved in their healthcare choices, improve quality and safety by a reduction in errors, and promote cost-containment through improved coordination. The last year for EPs and EHs to begin participating in the EHR Incentive Program is EPs participating for the first time in program year 2016 must meet all requirements by December 31, 2016 and submit their application by the end of the grace period for program year EHs participating for the first time in program year 2016 must meet all requirements by September 30, 2016, and submit their application by the end of the grace period for program year What do the timeframe terms mean? Payment year refers to the year of EP or EH program participation e.g. year one. Program year refers to the calendar year of program participation (e.g. 2013, 2014, etc.) for EPs and the federal fiscal year for EHs. Volume reporting period refers to the consecutive, 90-day period used to meet Medicaid patient volume requirements. During the volume reporting period, a provider does not have to be using certified technology. Reporting Period (also known as the MU attestation timeframe) refers to the period of time that the EP or EH is documenting actual use of CEHRT and meeting specified measures and thresholds. 3. What are the different requirements between Adopt, Implement, and Upgrade (AIU) and Meaningful Use (MU)? Through the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, providers have the option of applying for their first year incentive payment by demonstrating that they have adopted, implemented, or upgraded (AIU) to CEHRT. Providers are not required to have actually implemented or be using CEHRT to qualify for AIU payment, but they must have possession of the CEHRT. It cannot be a planned upgrade or procurement. Providers may also choose to skip AIU attestation and move straight to MU attestation. Providers participating in the Medicare Incentive program do not attest to AIU, only MU. 3
4 In order to qualify for MU payments, providers must demonstrate that they have been using CEHRT in a meaningful way by meeting specific MU measures and objectives. MU measures and objectives, including the thresholds for compliance, were set forth in federal legislation. 4. What are the Stages of Meaningful Use (MU)? Currently there are two stages of MU. Providers attest to two years of each MU stage, even if the payment (participation) years are not consecutive. For the first payment year of Stage 1 MU, providers will report on MU requirements for a continuous 90-day reporting period within the program year for which they are participating. For the second payment year, providers will continue to meet and report on Stage 1 MU requirements for a full calendar year. EXCEPTION: In 2014, all providers will have a 90-day reporting period regardless of whether attesting to Stage 1 or Stage 2 MU. After completing two years of Stage 1 MU, providers advance to Stage 2 MU requirements. Stage 2 MU requirements place greater emphasis on patient engagement and exchange of health information. Providers will only advance to Stage 2 MU after completing the two reporting periods of Stage 1. Stage 3 requirements are in the process of being finalized and will be effective October 1, 2016, for EHs and January 1, 2017, for EPs. Part Six contains details on Meaningful Use requirements, measures, and thresholds. 5. Can someone attest on my behalf? Providers and hospitals that allow someone to attest on their behalf must establish the relationship on the CMS registration and attestation system (EHR Incentive Program Registration site). The creation of the federal level relationship will allow a user to access and manage the registration on behalf of a provider or hospital. The state application is available via the provider s individual Medicaid provider portal. A provider must authorize a user to work on their behalf within the Medicaid provider portal. To establish this relationship, contact the EHR Call Center at (855) The preparer should indicate their relationship with the provider on MAPIR (the online state application) under the submit tab. 6. How long should I keep records supporting my EHR program applications? All documentation supporting the application should be kept for a period of six years from the date of the incentive payment. This includes back-up information submitted with the application. Providers are encouraged to keep documentation to support measures, including numerical data and support for yes/no measures. For example, a screen shot of a patient which triggered a drug-drug interaction can document compliance with this measure. Summaries as well as detailed information on patient counts should be included in maintained documentation. Documentation supporting the numerator and denominator of the MU measures (core, menu, and Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs) must be included with the application. Documentation recommendations include: Back up reports with hard copies reports cannot always be recreated later Screen shots of yes/no answers and other system functionality, with dates o It is recommended that screen shots are taken throughout the EHR reporting period to satisfy the requirement that the functionality is in effect during the entire reporting period. Details on the Security Risk Assessment (SRA) ensure that you have a written account of the findings as well as any action taken to mitigate findings If you rely on an FAQ interpreting how you met a meaningful use measure, keep a copy of the FAQ with the effective date of the FAQ or the date you referenced the FAQ. Document the reasons for claiming an exclusion. 4
5 7. What, if any, types of audits will be conducted on incentive payments received? The Agency is required to perform provider audits to ensure that incentive payments were made to EPs that met all program requirements. The Agency has contracted with KPMG, LLP (KPMG), a public accounting and auditing firm, to conduct these post-payment audits. Providers will initially be notified by the Agency of their selection for audit. Within five business days, KPMG will contact the provider directly with a list of requested documentation and information on how to submit. Audits will be conducted on AIU and MU attestations. The documentation requested will vary based on the type of the audit. AIU documentation requested may include detailed patient level volume reports, the employment contract (if payment was assigned to a group), and additional supporting documentation of AIU, to the certified EHR system. MU audits will focus more on the actual measures, but will also include volume, employment status, and system capabilities. If selected for an audit, providers are encouraged to respond within the time periods specified. Subsequent incentive program applications from the provider, and/or any member of the group with whom the provider is associated, will be held until audit disposition is complete. In addition to audits conducted on behalf of the Agency, the Florida Auditor General, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Federal Office of the Inspector General (OIG) may conduct audits of EHR incentive payments. 8. What documentation should be included with my application? The documents listed below must be uploaded as part of the application process. Providers should maintain complete documentation supporting the application. Uploaded documents must be in PDF format and can be uploaded while the application is in either Incomplete or Submitted status. Large and/or numerous documents can also be zipped and uploaded. If the application is submitted without any documentation attached, an error message will appear reminding you that documents must be attached. The error message does not validate the type of documents rather just that documentation has not been provided. ALL APPLICATIONS: Copy of the Practice Management Report supporting your volume ADOPT, IMPLEMENT, or UPGRADE (AIU) Documentation that supports the AIU of the certified technology MEANINGFUL USE (MU) MU Measure report for the EHR reporting period including core, menu, and clinical quality measure (CQM) information Additional Documentation Form Documentation from Florida Shots, if not excluding because you provided no immunizations Note: If MU information is pulled from different systems for the EHR reporting period, then reports from all systems used must be uploaded. AS APPLICABLE Volume Workbook recommended if using unpaid, denied or never billed Medicaid encounters Physician Assistant (PA) Led Attestation Form Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNPs) or PAs billing under a supervising physician must include a copy of a medical record supporting your provision of a Medicaid service 5
6 9. Will there be always be a grace period for each Program Year? Yes. The program year for EHs is the federal fiscal year: October through September. The grace period for EHs extends through December 30 th following the end of each program year. The program year for EPs is the calendar year: January through December. The grace period for EPs extends through March 31 st following the end of each program year. The grace period is only applicable for applicants that have completed program requirements by the end of the program year. There is an exception for the 2014 program year. The grace period for EHs will extend through January 31, The grace period for EPs will extend through June 30, Have there been changes that affect access to Medicaid provider portal accounts? Yes. Security changes to Medicaid provider portal have been implemented. All accounts not logged into for 120 days or more will be locked due to inactivity. Agent accounts (those that can access the Medicaid provider portal on behalf of the provider) which have been locked for more than 120 days will be terminated resulting in the deletion of that account. A deleted account cannot be restored so a new account will have to be created and associated to any pre-existing applications. It may take several weeks to create and associate a new Medicaid provider portal account. If you have issues logging into your Medicaid provider portal account, please contact Provider Services at It may take a few weeks for you to regain access. The instructions below detail the steps you need to follow to complete reactivation of a locked account. Reactivation procedure: 1. Enter the username in the Username field on the log in page of the secure portal ( 2. Click on "Forgot your password?" 3. Re-enter the "username" and " " associated with the account. You must use the account that was used to register for your account or you will receive an error message 4. A "PASSWORD RESET" will be sent 5. Click on the link and answer the security question that was created when the account was initially established 6. Once the security question is successfully answered, you can create a new password and access your secure portal account. If a different person will be completing the state on-line application (MAPIR) than in previous program years, the User ID attached to the MAPIR application may need to be changed. After the preparer gains access to the secure Medicaid Portal, if the preparer does not see the EHR Incentive link, the User ID may need to be updated. Please contact the EHR call center at for assistance with updating the User ID. 11. How do all the deadlines I see published affect my participation? Many of the published deadlines released by CMS are Medicare related. When participating in the Medicaid Incentive Program, the key deadlines are: The EHR (aka MU) reporting period must end by December 31 st of the calendar year in which you are reporting. Each Program Year application must be filed by the stated grace period application for that year. 12. Is documentation needed to prove that 2014 CEHRT has been used? Yes. A letter is needed from the vendor indicating the provider s name or practice name, the name and version of the system, certification number, and date of implementation. 6
7 13. Is there a 90 day reporting period in 2015? New CMS is considering changes for the 2015 Program Year including adjusting the reporting period to 90 days, and aligning the hospital program year to a calendar year. The changes have not been finalized. The Agency will not be making policy or system changes until the rule has been finalized and issued by CMS. Providers scheduled to report full year meaningful use in 2015 are encouraged to continue working towards meeting measures for the full year including having functionality enabled continuously. 7
8 Part 2: ELIGIBILITY Eligible Professionals (EPs) 1. Who is eligible for the Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program? Non-hospital-based physicians Dentists Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNP) Certified nurse midwives Physician assistants must be working in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) or Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and that clinic is led by a physician assistant. 2. How is hospital based status determined? Hospital based is defined as 90% or more of encounters occurring in an inpatient or emergency room setting (place of service 21 or 23). Processing staff validate non-hospital based using Medicaid encounters from the calendar year prior to the program year. If 90% or more of the provider s Medicaid encounters were at place of service 21 or 23, the previous federal and state fiscal years are reviewed, in an attempt to qualify the provider. If 90% or more of the EP s Medicaid encounters are hospital based, but their total encounters are less than 90% in hospital or emergency room locations, the provider can meet this requirement by uploading documentation from the practice management system of encounters by place of service. The time period for the report should be the calendar year prior to the program year. PATIENT VOLUME 1. What is the Medicaid patient volume requirement? Eligible Professionals* Physician (MD, DO) Dentist Certified Nurse Midwife Nurse Practitioner Physician Assistant (PA) in a RHC or FQHC led by PA Pediatrician** Medicaid Patient Volume Over 90-Day Period 30% Medicaid 30% Medicaid 30% Medicaid 30% Medicaid 30% Medicaid 20% Medicaid *Eligible professionals practicing at least 50% of the time in an RHC or FQHC can count needy individuals when determining patient volume. ** Pediatricians who qualify with a 20% Medicaid patient volume receive two-thirds of the maximum incentive payment, totaling $42,500. Providers must meet the volume requirement for each payment year. Volume percentages can be rounded up based on standard rounding, e.g. 29.6% could be rounded up to 30%. 2. What can I use to determine my Medicaid volume? Updated Patient volume is based on encounters. Encounters are defined as services provided to a single patient on a single day. The denominator is all patient encounters, regardless of whether the encounter is billed or paid. Each date of service is only counted once. Medicaid encounters are defined as services rendered on any one day to an individual enrolled in a Medicaid program. It is no longer required that the encounter be paid in order to include it in Medicaid 8
9 volume determination. This includes: o services to Medicare/Medicaid dually eligible individuals; o services to those with primary third party payers; o services rendered to a Medicaid patient but not billed; and o services denied, unless the denial reason is that the individual was not enrolled in Medicaid on the date of service. Persons enrolled in Medicaid managed care plans e.g. Amerigroup, First Coast Advantage, Humana, etc., and Medicaid Provider Service Networks should be included in volume calculations. Volume is calculated by dividing Medicaid encounters by the total number of patient encounters. Each date of services rendered to an individual patient should only be counted once. Updated At least one clinical location used in the calculation of patient volume must have certified EHR technology (CEHRT). If you are adopting CEHRT, it is not required that the technology be in use. Providers have the option to determine volume based on a continuous 90-day period in the calendar year prior to the program year or a continuous 90-day period in the 12 months prior to the application date. The 90-day period can span calendar years when using a 90-day period in the 12 months prior to the application date. The option for the 12 months prior to the application date is a rolling period of time that changes each day. 3. How is volume determined individually or based on my group? If you are an individual practitioner, you calculate the percentage of total individual Medicaid encounters over total individual practice encounters. Total Individual Medicaid Encounters Total Individual Practice Encounters If you are a member of a group practice, you have two options: Option One: All members of the group will use group Medicaid volume this is also known as group proxy. Total Group Medicaid Encounters Total Group Encounters Option Two: All members of the group will use their individual Medicaid encounters from the group (use individual formula). Pediatricians can choose to qualify with 20 29% Medicaid volume in any of these examples, but will only receive 2/3 of the maximum payment. 4. How is volume validated? Eligible professionals (EPs) are requested to upload a copy of their Practice Management System (PMS) or other billing system report that indicates the number of encounters by payer as well as totals for all payers. This report should delineate the individual provider of service if using individual volume. The reported volume, as well as the information from the PMS report, is validated against data in the Medicaid system. Please note that the PMS or billing system is often a separate system from the EHR and that is acceptable. Also, if a practice does not have a billing system that can generate the volume numbers, this documentation can be provided through the manual creation of a report. If you have a question about how these numbers are obtained for your practice, please contact the EHR Call Center at 1 (855) for further clarification. 9
10 Providers still have the option of basing volume solely on Medicaid paid claims. If including denied or never billed claims for patient volume, providers are encouraged to utilize the Volume Workbook. The use of this worksheet will expedite the pre-payment validation process since it will direct staff on how the numbers were calculated. The worksheet is available via the website under Volume Workbook. 5. What is meant by needy volume and can I include these individuals in my volume? Only providers practicing in an FQHC or RHC at least 50% of the time can include needy individuals in their volume calculation. Needy individuals are defined as those that: Received medical assistance from Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (or a Medicaid or CHIP demonstration project approved under section 1115 of the Act) Were furnished uncompensated care by the provider Were furnished services at either no cost or reduced cost based on a sliding scale determined by the individuals' ability to pay 6. Can Healthy Kids or MediKids be included in patient volume? Healthy Kids and MediKids are eligibility groups under the Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Unless the provider is working in an FQHC or RHC and can include needy individuals, encounters for Healthy Kids or MediKids do not qualify as Medicaid encounters. CHIP is funded under Title XXI, not Medicaid Title XIX. Although claims for MediKids are billed to Medicaid for adjudication, they are not paid for by Medicaid funds. 7. Since I can choose my volume period, can I use the same volume period for both a Program Year 2013 application and a Program Year 2014 application? For example, if a provider applies in June of 2013 and uses the volume period March May of 2013, can that same volume period be used for a Program Year 2014 application? No. Each program year requires meeting the volume using a completely different period of time. MAPIR has been programmed to prevent a provider from selecting volume dates that overlap a volume period the same provider previously used. PROVIDER TYPES 1. How does Florida define pediatrician for purposes of the EHR Incentive Program? Pediatricians are physicians with a specialty in pediatrics. Physicians declare their specialty when they enroll in the Florida Medicaid program. Pediatricians may be eligible for incentive payments if their Medicaid volume is between 20% and 29% of their total volume. To be eligible for an incentive payment as a pediatrician with Medicaid volume between 20% and 29%, physicians must have the Specialty Code 035, which specifies Pediatrics, on their Medicaid provider file. A physician may also have other specialty codes. Attestation to the specialty type must be submitted to the Medicaid fiscal agent before the eligible professional applies to participate in the EHR Incentive Program. Please note, if you are a pediatrician attesting to 20% to 29% Medicaid volume, make sure you select pediatrician for your provider type in MAPIR. Selecting physician and reporting volume under 30% will cause your application to be denied.. 2. Can a pediatric nurse practitioner or physician assistant qualify for the program with 20-29% Medicaid volume? No. Only physician providers with a pediatric specialty can qualify with the lower volume. 10
11 3. As an ARNP, the majority of my services are billed using the supervising physician s billing information. Can I apply for a payment? Yes, ARNPs are defined as EPs for the EHR Incentive Program and can receive an incentive payment. ARNPs can apply using group volume, their individual Medicaid volume from the group, or their supervising physician s individual volume from the group for services the ARNP rendered. USING INDIVIDUAL VOLUME: The application must contain the practice management system (PMS) or billing report indicating the volume attributable to the applicant ARNP. USING GROUP VOLUME: When an ARNP is using group volume, there must be at least one paid Medicaid encounter between the start of the 90-day volume reporting period and date of attestation/application. USING SUPERVISING PHYSICIAN VOLUME: A. The volume reporting period for the ARNP must be distinctly different from the volume reporting period for the supervising physician when using individual volume as well as any other ARNP that may be using the supervising physician volume. For example, if a physician supervises ARNP A and ARNP B, there must be a distinct 90-day period for the physician, a distinct 90-day period for ARNP A, and a distinct 90-day period for ARNP B. B. The PMS or billing report must include encounters for the applicant ARNP, the supervising physician, and all other ARNPs under that physician s supervision. C. The application must also contain documentation of one paid Medicaid encounter as evidenced by a medical record. The medical record must contain: name and Medicaid number of the recipient; the date of service; the services rendered; the location of the services being rendered; and the signature of both the ARNP and supervising physician. 4. What is meant by a PA-led clinic? A Physician Assistant (PA) would be leading an FQHC or RHC under any of the following circumstances: When a PA is the primary provider in a clinic (for example, when there is a part-time physician and fulltime PA, the PA would be considered the primary provider); When a PA is a clinical or medical director at a clinical site of practice; or When a PA is an owner of an RHC. PAs completing applications will be asked to complete the Attestation for Physician Assistant Led form available on the EHR Incentive Program Website. This form will delineate how the PA meets the definition of practicing in a PA-led clinic. The form can be found at PA Led Attestation Form. As part of the pre-payment validation process, claims history is reviewed as well as information contained on the Medicaid provider file. In order to be considered PA led, the number of encounters with the PA as the rendering provider should greatly exceed the number of encounters with the physician and any other providers as the rendering provider. 5. Are residents eligible to participate in the EHR Incentive Program? Yes, if the resident is a fully enrolled Medicaid provider. Only residents that have been issued a full license are eligible to enroll as a Florida Medicaid provider. 6. Are Optometrists eligible to participate? No. The federal rule for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program limits payments to doctors of medicine and osteopathy. Optometric services are not considered physician services under Florida statue or in the Florida Medicaid state plan. Therefore, this provider type is not eligible for the program. Doctors of Optometry can qualify for participation in the Medicare Incentive Program. 11
12 7. What does it mean to be a fully enrolled Medicaid provider? Fully enrolled is a term used for providers who participate in Medicaid either as a fee-for-service provider or member of a fee-for-service group. If Medicaid has paid you directly for a fee-for-service claim, you are fully enrolled. If you are part of a Medicaid health plan network, you may be registered with Medicaid as a treating provider, but not fully enrolled in Medicaid. With the move to managed care, providers and practices may not have any fee-for-service encounters. Providers and practices must update their Medicaid provider files with any address and contact changes to ensure that requests to re-enroll are received. You must be fully enrolled in the Florida Medicaid program to participate in the EHR Incentive Program. If your Medicaid provider number is terminated for not re-enrolling, you will have to reapply and have the new Medicaid number activated, or you won t be able to access the MAPIR application. Providers can fully enroll in the Florida Medicaid program using the online Enrollment Wizard, downloading the Provider Enrollment Application from the Internet, or requesting an application using the phone number provided below. Once submitted, the completed application and all applicable forms will be reviewed for accuracy. Upon completion of the enrollment process, approved providers are issued a nine-digit Medicaid provider number and a PIN. Please see Guide for Completing a Medicaid Provider Enrollment Application located at under Public Information for Providers, select Enrollment, or call , Option 4, for a complete list of required enrollment documentation. GROUP PRACTICE 1. What is the definition of a group? A basic definition of group is how the provider bills Medicaid for services. In most instances, this will be the Medicaid Group ID. This definition is not intended to be limiting; therefore, providers will have the option of requesting an exception to define their group within the following parameters: There must be an established relationship to the group within the Florida Medicaid Management Information System (provider file); and The documentation of the parameters of the group must be auditable; The Medicaid IDs that comprise the group must have a common Tax ID; or common National Provider Identification (NPI); or common seven-digit base Medicaid ID. 2. What encounters should be included in the group volume calculation? All encounters during the 90-day volume reporting period should be included in your group calculation, including encounters for providers who are no longer associated with the group, providers who will not be applying for a Medicaid incentive payment, and encounters that occurred at locations other than the office. Group volume (also known as group proxy) is determined by how you bill for Medicaid services. For example: Scenario A: All providers and locations associated with the Group bill for Medicaid services under ONE Medicaid number. Group Volume: All encounters across all locations and among all providers would be included. Scenario B: All providers within a location bill for Medicaid services under a Medicaid number that is specific to that location. Group Volume: Encounters associated with that location would be included. This is true even if the individual locations pay to one group NPI. 12
13 Scenario C: The practice has more than one location. Each location has a unique Medicaid ID. Each location has the same Tax ID and may or may not have the same group NPI or seven-digit base Medicaid ID. Group Volume: The practice can use just one of the group s Medicaid IDs or all of the group s Medicaid IDs. If the practice has five different Medicaid ID s, the practice cannot pick two of the five, the practice must use just one or all five. If one provider in the group uses group volume, all providers in the group are required to use the group volume UNLESS an individual provider is applying using their volume from a different location not affiliated with the group. In this case, the individual provider would not be able to use encounters associated with the group. 3. What conditions must be met to use group volume? To use group volume, the group must meet the following conditions: The clinic or group practice's patient volume is appropriate as a patient volume methodology calculation for the EP; There is an auditable data source to support the group's patient volume determination; The EP in the group decide to use one methodology in each payment year (in other words, groups could not have some of the EP using their individual patient volume for patients seen at through the group, while others use the group level data); and The group must use the entire practice's patient volume and not limit it in any way; The EP using group volume must have had at least one Medicaid encounter between the start of the 90-day volume period and the date of attestation. It is no longer required that the encounter be paid. The group must be recognized as a group within the Medicaid system and must be following group billing practices during the volume-reporting period. 13
14 Part 3: ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD (EHR) SYSTEMS 1. How can it be determined whether an EHR is certified? Providers must have access to or be using Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (CEHRT) as one condition of eligibility for the EHR Incentive Program. The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) has established an Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB) to review and certify systems. The Certified Health IT Product List is available at Certified Health IT Product List (CHPL). The certification number from the CHPL is required for the online application. Beginning with Program Year 2015, all providers must be using 2014 CEHRT to participate in the incentive program. 2. Can an eligible professional (EP) use EHR technology certified for an inpatient setting to meet a meaningful use (MU) objective and measure? Yes. For objectives and measures where the capabilities and standards of EHR technology designed and certified for an inpatient setting are equivalent to or require more information than EHR technology designed and certified for an ambulatory setting, an EP can use the EHR technology designed and certified for an inpatient setting to meet an objective and measure. 3. Does a provider such as a dentist who has access to a certified EHR system qualify? As long as the provider has access to a certified EHR system that is capable of meeting MU objectives, they may qualify. In the case of dentists, many have a dental system that is interfaced with a certified EHR system; the provider would need access to all parts of the certified EHR system to qualify. 4. Will the Agency need to verify the "installation" or "a signed contract" for adopting, implementing, or upgrading a certified EHR system? Yes, as part of the application process for first year payments, a letter is needed from the vendor indicating the provider s name or practice name, the name and version of the system, certification number, and date of implementation. 5. Can a provider still qualify when using a free EHR system? If documentation of a licensing arrangement cannot be obtained from the vendor, the following documentation should be included as proof that the provider/practice has access to the system: A copy of page one of the license agreement A screenshot from the EHR system indicating the software s name and version A copy of the EHR system s screen that displays, at minimum, the provider s name and the name of the free software (usually a header at the top of each screen) In addition, if access to the EHR system is through an arrangement with another individual or organization, a copy of the agreement between the owner of the system and the applicant that indicates the name and version of the software must be included. 14
15 Part 4: HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE (HIE) 1. Can Protected Health Information (PHI) be sent through a regular account No. PHI transmitted over the internet must be encrypted. Many electronic health record (EHR) systems contain a secure feature that allows providers to safely exchange patient information through encrypted messaging services. Talk with EHR vendors to learn about the services they offer. 2. My EHR system has a secure feature. How can I use it to send s to other providers that also have a secure feature? Check with your vendor to determine if connections have been established with other EHR systems. 3. I have been told that my EHR system s secure feature is DirectTrust Accredited. What does that mean? New DirectTrust is a not-for-profit entity that has established a framework to support the exchange of health care information between disparate EHR systems using the Direct protocol. If your EHR system s capability is DirectTrust accredited, you should be able to other health care providers who use a DirectTrust accredited services regardless of EHR vendor. This includes providers using the Florida HIE Direct Messaging Service which is DirectTrust accredited. 4. What services are available through the Florida Health Information Exchange (Florida HIE)? The Florida HIE operates a variety of services including: Patient Look-Up (PLU) - a network of networks that allows health care organizations to query the medical records (with patient consent) of other participating health care organizations for individual patient data. o Some of the PLU participants offer a hybrid service allowing non-affiliated providers to obtain patient information from the PLU service. Event Notification Service (ENS) - provides health plans with expedited notifications on their members hospital encounters. Direct Messaging - encrypted, Direct Trust accredited service that allows providers to securely exchange messages and patient information electronically. For more information, please visit 15
16 Part 5: HOSPITALS 1. What are the Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program requirements for hospitals? Acute care hospitals (including Critical Access hospitals and cancer hospitals) with at least 10% Medicaid patient volume and an average length of stay of 25 days or less are eligible for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program. Children's Hospitals are eligible but are not required to meet Medicaid volume requirements. 2. Can a hospital participate in both the Medicare and Medicaid Incentive Programs? Yes. Hospitals can receive payments from both the Medicare and Medicaid Incentive Programs if they meet requirements for both. Hospitals that are dually eligible should select Both Medicare and Medicaid during the federal registration process. Hospitals participating in multiple states must choose only one payment state for the Medicaid program. 3. How is the 10% Patient Volume calculated for Medicaid hospital eligibility? The calculation for patient volume is the total Medicaid patient encounters in any representative continuous 90-day period in the previous hospital fiscal year divided by total patient encounters in that same 90-day period]* 100. NOTE: Hospitals have the option to determine volume based on a 90-day period in the previous hospital fiscal year or a 90-day period in the previous 12 months preceding application. For purposes of calculating hospital patient volume, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has allowed the following to be considered Medicaid encounters: Services rendered to an individual per inpatient discharges where the patient is a Medicaid recipient on the date of service; Services rendered to an individual in an emergency department on any one day where the patient is a Medicaid recipient on the date of service. Medicaid inpatient discharges and Medicaid emergency department encounters, as defined, would be added together as the numerator and all inpatient discharges and emergency department encounters would be added together as the denominator. 4. When do Hospitals have to demonstrate Meaningful Use (MU) for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program? Hospitals applying for a first year Medicaid incentive payment do not have to demonstrate MU as long as they have not attested for a Medicare incentive payment. They only have to demonstrate that they have adopted, implemented, or upgraded (AIU) certified EHR technology (CEHRT) and there is no reporting period for this requirement. Once a hospital attests to MU with Medicare they will be deemed a meaningful user for Medicaid. 5. How is the total Medicaid hospital incentive payment calculated? The hospital incentive payment is based on a formula that calculates an aggregate incentive payment at the time a hospital initially enrolls in the program. Further details about the formula and a template to assist hospitals in the calculation are available at Hospital Payments Documents. 6. How will the incentive payments to Florida hospitals be distributed across participation years? The Florida Medicaid program will distribute payments over 3 years based on the following percentages: Participation Year 1: 50% of Aggregate EHR Hospital Incentive Amount Participation Year 2: 40% of Aggregate EHR Hospital Incentive Amount Participation Year 3: 10% of Aggregate EHR Hospital Incentive Amount 16
17 7. When is the last year a hospital can begin receiving payments from the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs? Updated For Medicare, the last year a hospital can receive a payment is federal fiscal year (FFY) Hospitals can begin receiving payments from FFY 2011 to FFY However, the incentive payment will decrease for hospitals that start receiving payments in 2014 and later. Hospitals that are not meaningful users of Certified EHR Technology will be subject to payment adjustments in For Medicaid, hospitals must begin receiving EHR Incentive Payments by Program Year Hospitals receiving a Medicaid EHR Incentive Payment must receive payments on a consecutive, annual basis after I received a payment last year for AIU. What do I do to get my 2 nd year payment? Hospitals that received an AIU payment are required to attest to and meet meaningful use measures for the second payment. If you are a Medicare/Medicaid hospital, then the information and reporting period submitted to Medicare will be transferred to the State and will serve as your attestation to MU. You will be required to complete the online MAPIR application. As part of the State application, you will be required to enter your patient volume numbers to meet the 10% Medicaid volume requirement for the Medicaid incentive program. Your second year payment will be 40% of your total calculated payment. 9. I am a dually eligible hospital and have already received a Year One payment from Medicare. Can I still do AIU for Medicaid? No. Once you have received a payment from Medicare attesting to meaningful use, you are deemed a meaningful user and are required to report meaningful use for Medicaid as well. Acknowledgement of the information supplied to Medicare will be transferred to Medicaid. Eligible hospitals will still be required to report Medicaid volume each payment year in the Medicaid program. Once a hospital has received an incentive payment for a 90-day reporting period, whether for Medicare or Medicaid, they will have to complete a 365-day reporting period for the subsequent years of participation except for 2014 which only requires a 90-day reporting period. If a hospital wants to receive their first incentive payment for Adopt, Implement, Upgrade (AIU) from the Medicaid Incentive Program, it is important that they complete their Medicaid application process and receive payment before they attest for a Medicare incentive payment. Once a hospital attests for a Medicare incentive payment, they will be deemed a meaningful user and not be allowed to complete a Medicaid attestation for AIU. See CMS FAQ #2715 for additional information on the different reporting periods. 10. For MU payments, do I have to apply with Medicare and report my MU measures prior to completing my State application? As a dually eligible hospital (Medicaid/Medicare) the Medicare attestation should be completed prior to submitting your state application for a MU payment. This will ensure that acknowledgement of the information supplied for MU is readily available for transfer to the state. 11. If a hospital receives their first payment in 2012 for AIU, when can they apply for a MU payment? If a hospital receives a 2012 Medicaid payment (first payment year FFY 2012) for AIU based on 2011 information, and they have not attested for a Medicare incentive payment, then the first MU payment would be based on a 90 day MU period from FFY 2013 and application could be as early as January The second MU reporting period of 365 days would be from FFY 2014 and application could be made beginning October
18 12. Are Medicaid Eligible Hospitals subject to payment adjustments or penalties if they do not adopt certified electronic health records technology or fail to demonstrate meaningful use? There are no payment adjustments or penalties for Medicaid providers who fail to demonstrate meaningful use. However, Medicare Subsection (d) hospitals that are not meaningful users will be subject to a payment adjustment beginning on October 1, For the most up to date information, please refer to Payment Adjustments and Hardship Exemptions. 18
19 Part 6: MEANINGFUL USE 1. What is Meaningful Use (MU)? Updated Meaningful use (MU) describes the activities an eligible professional or hospital engages in to use electronic health records in a way that improves care and service to their patients. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established the rule for MU that includes a set of standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria for electronic health record (EHR) technology. To view the final rule, visit There are three stages of MU: Stage 1 requirements are the standards that providers must currently meet Stage 2 is effective with program year 2014 a. All eligible professionals and hospitals will have two reporting periods of meeting Stage 1 requirements before progressing to meeting Stage 2 requirements Stage Three is effective with Program Year 2017 and specific requirements are still being finalized. 2. Can I implement an EHR system and satisfy MU requirements at any time within the calendar year? The initial 90-day MU period for EPs must be within the calendar year for which you are applying. For example, if applying for a 90-day MU payment for the 2014 program year, the 90-day period must be within For all other years of participation, the EP must demonstrate MU for an entire calendar year. If a provider elects to end their reporting period December 31 st, then the application can be submitted during the grace period. 3. Do specialty providers have to meet all of the MU objectives for the incentive program, or can they ignore the objectives that are not relevant to their scope of practice? All eligible professionals (EPs) who participate in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs must meet all of the meaningful use objectives; however, certain objectives do provide exclusions. If an EP meets the criteria for that exclusion, then the EP can claim that exclusion during attestation. Failure to meet the measure of an objective, or to qualify for an exclusion for the objective, will prevent an EP from successfully demonstrating MU and receiving an incentive payment. 4. Can I use group numbers in proving MU? No, MU is based on the individual EP. It is important that each practitioner access the certified EHR under their own login information so that the EHR system can capture the necessary information for demonstrating MU for each EP. Group measure information or measure information specific to another practitioner is NOT ACCEPTABLE in attesting to MU. 5. In meeting MU standards and thresholds, do I have two years of each Stage, or does it vary based on my participation? CMS has recently clarified that providers will be allowed two years of each stage of MU even if not participating in consecutive years. EPs participating in the Medicaid EHR incentive program are not required to participate in consecutive years and there is no Medicaid financial penalty for skipping a year. EPs have the option of starting and stopping the program based on their meaningful use readiness. For example: 19
20 2011 met AIU requirements 2012 met 90 days of Stage 1 meaningful use requirements 2013 did not participate 2014 did not participate 2015 met 365 days of Stage 1 meaningful use requirements 2016 met 365 days of Stage 2 meaningful use requirements 2017 did not participate 2018 met 365 days of Stage 2 meaningful use requirements 2019 and thereafter progress to Stage 3 requirements 6. What are the general requirements for MU? Eligible professionals must meet patient volume requirements, have certified EHR technology (CEHRT), meet the core and menu measures, submit the required number of clinical quality measures (CQMs), and meet the following general MU requirements: a. 50% of all encounters must occur in locations equipped with CEHRT. i. To demonstrate that a provider meets this requirement, encounters across all practice locations (excluding inpatient and emergency room settings) must be reported. ii. An encounter is defined as medical, diagnostic, or consultation services. If multiple services are provided on the same day to the patient, then it counts as one encounter. b. 80% of unique patients seen at locations with CEHRT must have their records in a certified EHR system Providers should note that MU is not limited to just Medicaid encounters and patients but is reflective of all encounters and patients. For detailed information on each core and menu measure, visit Guidance/Legislation/EHRIncentivePrograms/Downloads/EP-MU-TOC.PDF. 7. What if I change systems during the EHR reporting period? If a provider changes EHR systems or practices at multiple practices, information from all systems utilized during the reporting period must be used. CHANGING SYSTEMS: If the information from the old system is transitioned into the new system, and the new system can report data from the entire reporting period, then only report data and include documentation from the new system. If the data is not transferred, then the information from both systems should be combined and documentation from both systems uploaded. MULTIPLE LOCATIONS: Information from each location for the reporting period must be uploaded. The numerators and denominators for each measure should be combined and entered into the application. If a provider is practicing at multiple practices utilizing different systems, and different menu and clinical quality measures (CQMs) have been selected at the varying locations, the provider should choose one set to report. All core measures must be added together. Any menu and CQMs that are the same for all practices should also be added together. Providers should upload reports for all measures from both systems as well as a document explaining which menu and CQMs they are choosing to report. Documentation should be maintained supporting the choice of measures. For more information on practicing at multiple locations, please see this Fact Sheet published by CMS. 8. As an Eligible Professional, what documentation should be provided with my MU attestation? Report from your practice management system (PMS) or billing system supporting your volume 20