At the end of the year, CMS finally issued the much anticipated Electronic Health Record Incentive Payments proposed rule, including the definition of “meaningful use.” CMS has also published fact sheets to help distill the information:

Fact Sheet on Medicaid Incentive Payments

Fact Sheet on Medicare Incentive Payments

Fact Sheet on the Definition of Meaningful Use 

Physicians and Hospitals are encouraged to comment on the proposed rule through March 15th.  Some specific hot topics include: the definition of meaningful use, the exclusion of provider-based physicians from incentive payments, calculation for Critical Access Hospital Medicare incentive payments, exclusion of Critical Access Hospitals in Medicaid incentive payments, and the requirements for certified EHR systems. 

To view some of the submitted comments so far go to: www.regulations.gov.

The American Hospital Association also encourages hospitals to send out this comment letter.

If you are interested in drafting your own comment and require some assistance please contact Elana Zana or Dave Schoolcraft.