CMS conducts meaningful use audits in California June 27, 2013 EHR EHR, Incentive Payments, Meaningful Use, CalHIPSO, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 0 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has begun auditing California physicians who received payments through the federal electronic health record (EHR) incentive programs. Physicians selected for the audit have received letters from CMS contractor Figliozzi and Co., with requests for documentation to support their stage 1 meaningful use attestation. Figliozzi is an accounting firm that specializes in auditing health care facilities for Medicare cost compliance. Under the 2009 federal economic stimulus package, health care providers can qualify for Medicaid and Medicare incentive payments by demonstrating meaningful use of certified EHR systems. The law also requires CMS to audit health care providers attesting to meaningful use. According to CMS, the audits will impact 5 to 10 percent of physicians who have received incentive payments. The letters generally request that physicians provide the following information: Evidence that they are using certified EHR technology Their method of reporting emergency department admissions Documentation that the physician completed the attestation module for the core set and menu set objectives and measures. Physician practices who receive such a letter should consider contacting a Regional Extension Center such as CalHIPSO (www.calhipso.org), their EHR vendor or a consultant for assistance. For more information on the federal EHR incentive programs and meaningful use, see CMA On-Call documents #4301, "EHR: Federal Incentive Program," #4302 "Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs)." These documents, as well as the rest of CMA's health law library, are available free to members on CMA's website at www.cmanet.org/cma-on-call. Nonmembers can purchase documents for $2 per page. Contact: Center for Legal Affairs at (800) 786-4262 or legalinfo@cmanet.org Comments are closed.
