MU Live! Resumes

This week MU Live! was back from a summer hiatus since the end of June. We did not have a guest on the show as we thought we would do some catching up. Jim and I took to the air to discuss just what has been going on. You can interact with all our live shows with #muliveradio on Twitter. Here is what we discussed.

First up, we got back on the Final Rule watch. Both the ONC and CMS released proposed rules for stage 2 MU, the EHR Incentive programs, certified technology, and standards back in March. The 60 day comment period ended in early May. The ONC and CMS worked hard on the review and comments and both rules have been sent to the OMB. This is the final step before public release and publishing in the Federal Register.

Next, we looked at the status of the EHR Adoption and the Incentive programs. A 2012 goal for CMS and ONC was to have 100,000 health care providers to adopt, implement, upgrade, or demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHRs. They reported at the end of May they had already passed that number. The last CMS program status report we have seen was month end of June. Here are some of the findings.

•  As of the End of June Active Registrations
  • Medicare EPs – 172,186
  • Medicaid EPs – 84,086
  • Hospitals – 3,779
• Medicare Incentive Payments Program-to-Date
  • EPs – $1,060,569,567 (just over $1 billion)
  • Hospitals – $1,998,304,780 (just under $2 billion)
  • Bringing Total to just over $3 billion
• Medicaid Incentive Payments Program-to-Date
  • EPs – $963,237,929 (just under $1 billion)
  • Hospitals – $1,962,482,104 (just under $2 billion)
  •  Bringing Total to just under $3 billion
• All combined we are looking at just over $6 billion

Next, CMS published a new Guide for the Medicaid Program to complement their previously published Guide for the Medicare Program. We are still looking at five States (Hawaii, Minnesota, Nevada, NH, Virginia) that have not started their Incentive programs.

We also discussed and reminded eligible professionals about the October 3rd deadline. EPs must start begin reporting meaningful use by this date to complete the required 90 day reporting period for 2012. Here is more information.

We then talked about how audits have begun. HHS has designated the accounting firm of Figloiozzi and Company to begin auditing. See what CMS suggests providers need to know to be prepared for an audit.

Finally we talked about some of our upcoming guests.

• Eric Dishman, Intel Fellow and director of health innovation and policy for Intel’s Digital Health Group.- will talk about Patient Engagement
• David Kibbe, Sr. Policy Advisor for American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) – will discuss HIE in Stage 2
• Rob Anthony, CMS Specialist – will discuss Final Ruling for Stage 2 MU
• Amit Trivedi, Program Manager for the ONC-ATCB – ICSA Labs – will discuss Final Ruling for ONC Certification
• Bob Dolin, M.D., President Lantana Group, Chair of HL7 – will discuss Standards Stage 2

Check out details of next week’s show. We hope you can join us. To all our listeners, until next Tuesday at 2.