CMS Issues More Answers to EHR Incentive Program Questions

Question: What is the CMS EHR Meaningful Use Audit Team?

Answer: The CMS EHR Meaningful Use Audit Team performs meaningful use audits as part of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. If selected for a one of these audits, the eligible professional (EP), eligible hospital (EH) or critical access hospital (CAH)will receive a letter with the CMS logo on the letterhead providing instructions on providing supporting documentation and other required information. Read the complete answer.

Question: When maintaining an up-to-date problem list as part of achieving meaningful use in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, can both SNOMED CT as well as non-SNOMED CT (for example ICD-9 or ICD-10) elements be included to meet the measure?

Answer: Prior to 2014, the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs permitted either SNOMED CT or ICD-9 to be used when a patient’s problems were recorded by 2011 Edition Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) as structured data. However, when an eligible professional (EP), eligible hospital, or critical access hospital (CAH) begins its 2014 EHR reporting period (for Stage 1 or Stage 2) it will need to use 2014 Edition CEHRT which only permits recording patient problems in SNOMED-CT®. Read the complete answer.

Question: Can a hospital receive credit for any of the Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program requirements by electronically submitting the Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs) for the EHR Incentive Program?

Answer: Yes, a hospital will be able to receive credit for the EHR Incentive Program and IQR by electronically submitting the CQMs (also referred to as eCQMs) for the EHR Incentive Program, using the IQR system (Qualitynet.org). There are 16 CQMs that are shared by the two programs, and these shared measures are organized into four measure sets, stroke (seven measures), venous thromboembolism (six measures), emergency department (two measures) and perinatal care (one measure). Hospitals choosing to report the specified measure sets electronically to meet the CQM requirements for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program and the IQR Program, may report one quarter of data (either January – March 2014, April – June 2014, or July – September 2014). If a provider reports measures electronically, they are not required to report the same measures by via chart abstraction or attestation. Read the complete answer.

See more CMS FAQs published on next pages.