CMS wants to keep you updated with the latest information about the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. New FAQs on meaningful use, payment information for eligible hospitals, eligibility, and additional information for eligible hospitals have been added to our website. Take a minute and review these new FAQs.

Payment Information for Critical Access Hospitals
• What cost report data elements are used in the EHR incentive payment calculation for Medicare Subsection (d) Hospitals? Read the answer.
• How are Medicare EHR Incentive Payments Calculated for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs)? Read the answer.
• What costs can be included in the CAH’s Medicare EHR incentive payment? Read the answer.

Meaningful Use
• If my certified EHR technology is capable of submitting batch files to an immunization registry using the standards adopted by the Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology (HL7 2.3.1 or 2.5.1, and CVX), is that sufficient to meet the Meaningful Use objective “submit electronic data to immunization registries” for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs? Read the answer.
• If my certified EHR technology only includes the capability to submit information to an immunization registry using the HL7 2.3.1 standard but the immunization registry only accepts information formatted in the HL7 2.5.1 or some other standard, will I qualify for an exclusion because the immunization registry does not have the capacity to receive the information electronically? What if the immunization registry has a waiting list or is unable to test for other reasons but can accept information formatted in HL7 2.3.1, is that still a valid exclusion? Read the answer.

Eligibility
• How does CMS define pediatrician for purposes of the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program? Read the answer.