Registration for the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health records incentive programs opens Jan. 3, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced. Eligible professionals, eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) must use certified EHR technology to be eligible. The government has identified five Authorized Certification and Testing Bodies, or ACTBs.

Medicare incentive program

The Medicare EHR Incentive Program will provide incentive payments to eligible professionals, eligible hospitals, and CAHs that demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology.

Highlights of the program:

• Eligible professionals can receive up to $44,000 over five years under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. There's an additional incentive for eligible professionals who provide services in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HSPA).
• To get the maximum incentive payment, Medicare eligible professionals must begin participation by 2012.
• Incentive payments for eligible hospitals and CAHs may begin as early as 2011 and are based on a number of factors, beginning with a $2 million base payment.
• For 2015 and later, Medicare eligible professionals, eligible hospitals and CAHs that do not successfully demonstrate meaningful use will have a payment adjustment in their Medicare reimbursement.

Medicaid incentive program

The Medicaid EHR Incentive Program will provide incentive payments to eligible professionals, eligible hospitals and CAHs as they adopt, implement, upgrade, or demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology in their first year of participation and demonstrate meaningful use for up to five remaining participation years.

Highlights of the program:

• The Medicaid EHR Incentive Program is voluntarily offered by individual states and territories and may begin as early as 2011, depending on the state.
• Eligible professionals can receive up to $63,750 over the six years that they choose to participate in the program.
• Eligible hospital incentive payments may begin as early as 2011, depending on when the state begins its program.
• The last year a Medicaid eligible hospital may begin the program is 2016. Hospital payments are based on a number of factors, beginning with a $2 million base payment.
• There are no payment adjustments under the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program.

For a list of important program dates, click on next page.