Healthcare providers can verify that they have met the requirements for meaningful use of electronic health records starting April 18, when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services launches its online attestation service.  

To receive a Medicare incentive payment, providers must confirm that they have fulfilled the certified technology and quality objectives for meaningful use through the CMS Web-based Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs Registration and Attestation System.

CMS has paid out $37.6 million so far in EHR incentives under the Medicaid program.

Providers can familiarize themselves with the look and feel of the attestation system through a preview of selected screenshots, according to a CMS announcement March 25. However, the agency cautioned that "the final appearance and language may incorporate additional changes."

CMS will publish on its Web site user guides that offer step-by-step instructions for completing attestation and educational webinars that describe the attestation process in depth.

For some objectives, providers must calculate the percentage of their patients for whom a measure is performed. They also must demonstrate all core or required measures, while they may choose from a variety of options for menu measures.

To attest, providers report results for both the numerator and denominator from which the patient percentage is calculated--or the exclusion of those results if that applies--for the meaningful use objectives, and confirm that they have met the requirements of the program.

After providers successfully complete the online submission through the attestation system, they qualify for a Medicare EHR incentive payment.

The agency noted that providers need to understand the required meaningful use criteria that applies to them in order to successfully verify their information.

"Meaningful use requirements for eligible professionals, eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals participating in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program are different," the agency said.

For example, physicians and other medical professionals must report on 15 core measures, five of 10 menu measures, and six clinical quality measures, consisting of three required core measures and three additional measures. Hospitals must report on 14 core measures, five of 10 menu measures, and 15 clinical quality measures.

For stage one of meaningful use, providers have a 90-day reporting period. Providers should make sure that they start their reporting period in time to attest, and that they received a Medicare payment in 2011. For hospitals, the last day to start the 90-day period is July 3 and for physicians, Oct. 1.

Under the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, the date when participants should begin their confirmation that they have adopted, deployed, upgraded or demonstrated meaningful use of EHRs varies by state and is available at the CMS Web site.