Sponsored by:

 HITECH Act
◦ What is it?
◦ Who qualifies?
◦ What are the incentives?

 What do Professionals need to do to qualify?

 Part of the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act
 Incentives to encourage Professionals and

hospitals to utilize EHR technology

 Incentives in the form of payments to

“Eligible Professionals” and hospitals that

see Medicare/Medicaid patients
 Focus on Eligible Professionals
Medicare:
 MD, DO, DDS, DPM, OD, DC

 Does not include hospital-based Professionals

 Incentives are up to $44,000 per provider

Medicaid:
 Adds Certified Nurse Midwives, NP, PA working in FQHC or RHC

 Incentives up to $63,750

 Must see 30% Medicaid patients

 Pediatricians qualify at 20%

Pick one program only—you may switch one time

 Adoption Year
Incentives 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015+

2011 $18,000 - - - -
Incentive Year

2012 $12,000 $18,000 - - -

2013 $8,000 $12,000 $15,000 - -
2014 $4,000 $8,000 $12,000 $12,000 -
2015 $2,000 $4,000 $8,000 $8,000 $0
2016 $0 $2,000 $4,000 $4,000 $0
2017 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Total $44,000 $44,000 $39,000 $24,000 $0
Incentives
Source: Title IV Subtitle A of the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act of 2009
 Based on Part B FFS claims

 Applies only to services furnished by EP

 Professional components only

 75% of submitted allowable charges

 EPs in Health Provider Shortage Area earn an

additional 10%
 Adoption Year
Incentives 2011 2012 Repeated through
2017
2011 $21,250 - -
Incentive Year

2012 $8,500 $21,250 -

2013 $8,500 $8,500 $21,250
2014 $8,500 $8,500 $8,500 years 2-6
2015 $8,500 $8,500
2016 $8,500 $8,500
2017 - $8,500
Total $63,750 $63,750 $63,750
Incentives
Source: Title IV Subtitle A of the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act of 2009
 Incentive amount based on what CMS has
identified as the “net allowable cost” of
purchasing, implementing and maintaining
an EHR system
 Per CMS, the cost alone is $54,000
 Maximum payment is $63,750
 At least 30% of your patient encounters for

the reporting period must be Medicaid

 Pediatricians qualify at 20%
 Certified EHR
◦ HHS will determine the certifying body
or bodies
◦ Responsibility of EHR vendor

 Meaningful Use
◦ 25 criteria have been proposed
◦ Responsibility of the EP
 For Medicare Eligible Professionals, the first
payment year begins 1/1/2011 and is based
on a calendar year (hospitals are being paid
using the federal fiscal year)

 For Medicaid Eligible Professionals, the first

payment year can begin as early as 2010 if
you are in the process of implementing an
EHR already
 First year: any continuous 90-day period
within the payment year
◦ Example: January 1-March 31, 2011

 Second year onward: entire payment year

◦ Example: January 1 – December 31, 2012
 National Provider Identifier

 Single data repository to track identification

 Medicare – CMS

 Medicaid - States
 12/30/09: Notice of Proposed Rule Making
◦ 556 pages: www.hhs.org

 3/15/10: 60 day comment period expired

 Final ruling approximately 6/1/10

Gives us more details defining

“meaningful use”
 STAGE 1 2011 and 2012
 STAGE 2 2013 and 2014
 STAGE 3 2015

 You only need to meet the Stage 1

requirements in your first year, regardless
of when that is. However, in your second
year, you must meet the requirements for
the Stage assigned to that payment year.
 25 meaningful use requirements in Stage 1

 5 pillars of meaningful use

◦ Patient/family engagement
◦ Coordinated care
◦ Quality, safety and efficiency
◦ Privacy and security
◦ Improve public and population health
 Getting an EHR that is CCHIT certified now
does not qualify you for stimulus payments

 Meaningful use is up to you

 Keep the well-being of your patients and

your practice in mind
 Providers can earn up to $44,000 in Medicare incentives or
$63,750 in Medicaid incentives

 Requires use of a certified EHR (HHS)

 Requires meaningful use and ability to report on

meaningful use

 Incentives start in 2011

 Earlier adopters can earn more incentives

 For more information contact:
Barbara Brownlee
barbara.brownlee@mxsecure.com
888.580.1010-Toll Free
480.776.8933-Direct
 Source: Title XIII of the American Recovery and Investment Act of 2009
 www.hhs.org