12 Days left for EPs to Begin Reporting in Medicare EHR Incentive Program

October 3rd will be the last day for eligible professionals to begin their 90-day reporting period for calendar year (CY) 2012 in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. For EPs, this means that they must begin their consecutive 90-day reporting period by October 3rd in order to attest to meeting meaningful use and be eligible to receive an incentive payment for CY 2012. CMS continues to encourage EPs not to miss the opportunity to participate in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program this year. Begin your reporting period by October 3rd to get on the path to payment for CY 2012. This becomes even more important now that stage 2 rules have been released and the 2015 payment adjustment details have been disclosed. You must be on the path of meaningfully using certified technology in order to avoid Medicare payment adjustments in 2015.

The following is additional information for EPs who have already completed their reporting period. CMS has a number of tools available to help prepare for attestation.

• The CMS Eligible Professional Attestation Worksheet – EPs can use this tool to record their meaningful use measures for a reference when attesting for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program in CMS’ web-based Registration and Attestation System.
• The Meaningful Use Attestation Calculator – This online tool allows EPs to test whether or not they would successfully demonstrate meaningful use. There is a tool for both EPs and hospitals.
• The Attestation User Guide for Eligible Professionals – Outlines and details how EPs can successfully attest to meaningful use in the EHR Incentive programs.

More Important Dates
More dates to remember for this calendar year:

• September 30, 2012 – Last day of the federal fiscal year. Reporting year ends for eligible hospitals and CAHs.
• October 3, 2012 – Last day for eligible professionals to begin their 90-day reporting period for calendar year 2012 for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program.
• November 30, 2012 – Last day for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals to register and attest to receive an Incentive Payment for FY 2012 under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program.
• December 31, 2012 – Reporting year ends for eligible professionals

See the timetable for the EHR Incentive Program on the CMS Milestone Timeline factsheet. You can also find updated dates and deadlines on the EHR Incentive Program Overview page in the Important Dates section.