Steps Toward Receiving EHR Incentive Payments
Register
Register on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website
Registration is now open for Medicare and Medicaid incentives.
- Some states have not launched their Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. To check your state status, please go to: http://www.cms.gov/apps/files/statecontacts.pdf
Eligible Hospitals must register for both Medicare and Medicaid if they qualify.
Eligible professionals at clinics or ambulatory care sites in a hospital must register for Medicaid or Medicare, not both (incentives are highest with Medicaid).
IHS cannot register on behalf of Eligible Hospitals and Eligible Professionals – each Eligible Hospital or Eligible Professional must register independently.
Eligible Professionals
Before registering, Eligible Professionals will need to decide whether to register under the Medicare or Medicaid Incentive program. Eligible Professionals who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid programs may only participate in one program.
Eligible Professionals eligible to receive EHR incentive payments under both programs will maximize their payments by choosing the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program. Incentive payments for Eligible Professionals are based on individual practitioners. If you’re part of a practice, each Eligible Professional may qualify for an incentive payment if each Eligible Professional successfully demonstrates Meaningful Use of certified EHR technology.
Before 2015, Eligible Professionals may switch incentive programs only once after the first incentive payment is initiated.
Gathering Information for CMS Registration
Prior to registering for the CMS Incentive Program, Eligible Professionals will need to gather the following information. This will help expedite the registration process.
National Provider Identifier (NPI)
- To locate your NPI number, go to NPPES NPI Registry page
- If you do not have an NPI number, to apply go to NPPES home page
An enrollment record in Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) if you are a Medicare Eligible Professional. Note: If you do not have an enrollment record in PECOS, you should still register for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs. For more information about PECOS, go to PECOS home page.
Eligible Professionals who are only participating in the Medicaid EHR incentive program are not required to be enrolled in PECOS.
National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) User and ID and Password. If you do not have an NPPES Web user account, go to NPPES home page.
Payee Tax Identification Number (TIN) (for reassignment of individual provider benefits to facility) or Facility Tax Identification Number. Note: IHS Eligible Professionals must re-assign incentive payments to their facility. Tribal Eligible Professionals should confer with their Tribal and facility management to determine re-assignment.
Your address from IRS form CP-575 and a copy of the form.
How to Register for Incentive Programs
Now that all the information has been gathered, the next step is to register with Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). All Eligible Professionals who are participating in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program must register for either the Medicare or Medicaid Incentive programs through CMS. This can be done using CMS’s Step-by-Step Guide.
Eligible Professionals who intend to participate in the Medicaid Incentive Program also must register on their state Medicaid Web site as a second step. Although the Medicaid EHR incentive programs opened in January 2011, some states are not ready to participate. Information on when registration will be available for Medicaid EHR incentive programs in specific states is posted at EHR Incentive Programs Medicaid State Information.
Confer with your area MU coordinator to determine when your state’s registration site for Medicaid EHR incentive programs is available. CMS recommends waiting until your state Medicaid site is available before registering with CMS.
Eligible Hospitals
Hospitals that meet all the qualification for both Medicare and Medicaid incentive programs are eligible to participate in both programs. Choose both Medicare and Medicaid Incentive Programs if the hospital has at least 10% Medicaid volume. Otherwise, choose Medicare only. It is important for a dual-eligible hospital to select “Both Medicare and Medicaid” from the start of registration in order to maintain this option.
Hospitals that register only for one program will not be manually able to change their registration from one program to the other after a payment is initiated. This can cause significant delays in receiving a Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) incentive payment.
Gathering Information for CMS Registration
Prior to registering for the CMS Incentive Program, Eligible Hospitals will need to gather the following information. This will help expedite the registration process. Also verify Eligible Professionals and the hospitals are enrolled in the CMS Medicare or Medicaid programs.
National Provider Identifier (NPI)
- To locate your NPI number, go to NPPES NPI Registry page
- If you do not have an NPI number, to apply go to NPPES home page
An enrollment record in Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS). Note: If you do not have an enrollment record in PECOS, you should still register for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs. For more information about PECOS, go to PECOS home page.
CMS Identity and Access Management (I & A) User ID and Password. For more information, go to the NPPES I & A Security Check Web page.
Hospital Tax ID Number.
Your address from IRS form CP-575 and a copy of the form.
How to Register for Incentive Programs
After all the information has been gathered, the next step is to register with CMS. All Eligible Hospitals who are participating in the EHR Incentive Program must register for the Medicare and/or Medicaid Incentive programs through CMS. This can be done using CMS’s Step-by-Step Guide
.
Eligible Hospitals who intend to participate in the Medicaid Incentive Program also must register on their state Medicaid Web site as a second step. Although the Medicaid EHR incentive programs opened in January 2011, some states are not ready to participate. Information on when registration will be available for Medicaid EHR incentive programs in specific states is posted at EHR Incentive Programs Medicaid State Information. CMS recommends waiting until your state Medicaid site is available before registering with CMS.
Confer with your area MU coordinator to determine when your state's registration site for the Medicaid EHR incentive program is available for your hospital. View the Registration and Attestation presentation [PPT-2.36KB] for step-by-step instructions in completing this process.
