Hospital FAQs

EHR FAQs for Hospitals

These FAQs are to provide current information on Oregon's program. If you cannot find the answer to your question, please send an e-mail to Medicaid.EHRIncentives@state.or.us.

New questions and answers will be posted periodically on this website. Subscribe to receive email alerts when we make updates to this site.

O-HITEC, Oregon's Regional Extension Center is available to support and serve health care providers in adopting EHR technology, assist with implementation and provide technical assistance as needed.

How does a hospital participate in an incentive program?

There are many participation factors for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Records Incentive Programs. For the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, it is important to know that participation includes eligibility criteria, registration and attestation. All eligible hospitals must register with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) whether they plan on participating in the EHR Incentive Programs with Medicare or Medicaid, or both. Information on the steps needed to apply is available.

How does a hospital register for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program?

A hospital intending to participate in the Oregon Medicaid EHR Incentive Program must first register with CMS, and then with Oregon. Registration for Oregon's Medicaid EHR Incentive Program began on September 26, 2011.

Oregon is encouraging all hospitals, whether eligible for one incentive program or both, to register with CMS for both Medicare and Medicaid and designate the intent to participate with Oregon in order to maintain this option. There is no penalty if a hospital registers for both, but participates in one program. However, it is more difficult to add a program once registered. A hospital can register now with CMS at Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program Registration & Attestation System. The CMS registration user guide for eligible hospitals is available now.

When is the last day that I can apply for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program in 2012?

1. Eligible hospitals that are participating in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program for the first time in 2012 have 60 days after the end of the program year to apply for an incentive payment. November 30, 2012 is the last day to apply for a 2012 year one payment.

2. Eligible hospitals participating in their second year in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program for 2012 have 90 days after the end of the program year to apply for an incentive payment. December 29, 2012 is the last day to apply for a 2012 year two payment.

Who certifies EHRs? What if my EHR is CCHIT certified?

Visit our EHR Support page for details.

How do I know if my EHR is certified?

Certified EHR products consist of complete EHRs and EHR modules that are combined to meet the statutory requirement for Certified EHR Technology. A complete up-to-date list of certified EHRs can be found on the ONC-Certified HIT Product List (CHPL). The CHPL is a snapshot of the current list of certified products and is updated frequently, as newly certified products are reported to ONC. The certified EHRs on the list are identified with the name of the certifying ATCB, the ONC certification number, vendor information, product information, and product version number.

What is a CMS EHR Certification number and how do I obtain one?

A CMS EHR certification number identifies that your EHR is both certified and complete. The number is obtained by completing a small series of steps at the ONC CHPL website.

I have not purchased an EHR yet, is there somewhere I can go to get help with the process?

In order to qualify for a Medicaid EHR incentive payment, all hospitals need to adopt, implement or upgrade certified EHR technology as an eligibility requirement for their first year of program participation.

Visit our EHR Support page for details.

What types of hospitals are eligible for Medicare EHR incentive payments?

An eligible hospital for Medicare EHR incentive payments is a "subsection (d) hospital" that is paid under the hospital inpatient prospective payment system. Critical Access Hospitals and Medicare Advantage Hospitals are also eligible to receive Medicare EHR incentive payments.

Under Medicare, all hospitals must demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology beginning in their first year of participation. CMS will administer the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. Learn more about hospitals and the Medicare EHR Incentive Program.

Also visit our Hospital Eligibility page.

When can hospitals participate in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program?

Eligible hospitals may qualify for Medicaid EHR incentive payments if they adopt, implement, upgrade or demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology during their first participation year, and must successfully demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology in subsequent participation years.

Medicaid hospitals that qualify for EHR incentive payments may begin receiving incentive payments in any year from federal fiscal year (FFY) 2011 to FFY 2016. The federal fiscal year is October 1st to September 30th.
Hospitals may participate in non-consecutive years prior to FFY 2016. Starting in FFY 2016, hospitals must participate annually to get the full incentive payment.

Can eligible hospitals participate in both programs?

Yes, an eligible hospital (e.g. Medicaid acute care hospital that is also Medicare subsection (d) hospitals) may receive incentive payments from both Medicare and Medicaid if it meets all eligibility criteria.

How is the total Medicaid hospital incentive payment calculated?

Use our Incentive Payment Calculator to determine your amount.

Can a hospital receive both Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive payments?

Yes, hospitals may receive incentive payments in the same payment year from both Medicare and Medicaid if they meet all eligibility criteria.

If patients are Medicare and Medicaid eligible, can they be counted twice by hospitals in their calculations if they are applying for both Medicare and Medicaid?

For purposes of calculating the Medicaid share in the payment calculation, a patient cannot be counted in the numerator if they would count for purposes of calculating the Medicare share. Thus, in this respect the inpatient bed day of a dually eligible patient could not be counted in the Medicaid share numerator.

What payment structure did Oregon choose for eligible hospitals?

Oregon chose to pay eligible hospitals the most money upfront in the shortest time possible within the parameters of the federal rule. This decision was based on stakeholder feedback and a financial analysis of the impact of hospitals, particularly critical access hospitals. The result is that hospitals will be paid over three years of qualified participation in the Oregon Medicaid EHR Incentive Program. The payment structure is as follows:

Year One Participation = 50% Aggregate EHR Incentive Amount
Year Two Participation = 40% Aggregate EHR Incentive Amount
Year Three Participation = 10% Aggregate EHR Incentive Amount

What is Adopt, Implement, or Upgrade?

In year one of participation in the Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program hospitals do not need to meet meaningful use reporting requirements. Rather, hospitals will attest to the adoption, implementation or upgrade (AIU) of certified EHR technology.

Adopt: Acquire, purchase, or secure access to certified EHR technology
Implement: Install or commence utilization of certified EHR technology capable of meeting meaningful use requirements
Upgrade: Expand the available functionality of certified EHR technology capable of meeting meaningful use requirements at the practice site, including staffing, maintenance, and training, or upgrade from existing EHR technology to certified EHR technology per the ONC EHR certification criteria. For more information on Meaningful Use Implementation please go to the Provider Meaningful Use page.

When do hospitals have to meet the Medicaid meaningful use requirements?

Visit our Hospital Meaningful Use page for details.