The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) currently provide incentive payments to eligible professionals participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs that show the meaningful use of certified Electronic Health Record (EHR) technology. The incentive payments are intended to encourage the adoption, implementation or upgrade certified EHR technology and its use in a meaningful manner.
To facilitate enrollment in its Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, the state of Maryland developed the electronic Medicaid Incentive Program Payment (eMIPP) system. The Maryland eMIPP system provides
incentive payments to eligible professionals as they adopt, implement, upgrade or demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology.
The last year a Medicaid provider may begin participation in the program is 2016. In order to receive an incentive payment, eligible professionals must demonstrate by December 31, 2016 that they have adopted, implemented, or upgraded (AIU) certified EHR technology. To qualify for the program a provider must have at least 30% of their patient volume in a consecutive 90 day period in 2015 as Medicaid encounters. The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene produced a handy guide on how to calculate your patient volume. A provider To register for the Maryland CMS Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, follow this guide. The program will continue making incentive payments until 2021.
Providers can access and submit a meaningful use attestation to the eMIPP website beginning February 1, 2016. With a recent 30-day extension, the new deadline for eligible professionals to attest with Maryland for Program Year 2015 is April 30, 2016. Attestation dates are subject to change and any program updates will be posted on the eMIPP website.
Maryland Medicaid Incentive Payments Overview:
- Only one incentive payment per year
- Incentives are same regardless of start year
- First year payment is $21,250
- Maximum incentives are $63,750 over six years
- Must begin by 2016 to receive incentive payments
- Incentives available through 2021
Medicaid Incentives
| Max payout per year | First year of participation | |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2016 | |
| 2015 | $21,250 | |
| 2016 | $8,500 | $21,250 |
| 2017 | $8,500 | $8,500 |
| 2018 | $8,500 | $8,500 |
| 2019 | $8,500 | $8,500 |
| 2020 | $8,500 | $8,500 |
| 2021 | $8,500 | |
Key differences between the Federal and State Medicaid Incentive programs:
| Federal Medicare EHR Incentive Program | State Medicaid EHR Incentive Program |
|---|---|
| Administered by CMS | Administered by your State Medicaid Agency |
| Maximum incentive amount is $44,000 | Maximum incentive amount is $63,750 |
| Payments over five consecutive years | Payments over six years, does not have to be consecutive |
| Providers must demonstrate meaningful use every year to receive incentive payments | In the first year providers can receive an incentive payment for adopting, implementing, or upgrading EHR technology. Providers must demonstrate meaningful use in the remaining years to receive incentive payments. |
Meaningful Use support every step of the way
We make participating in Meaningful Use easy. With a Practice Fusion account, contact our Meaningful Use Specialists and maximize your EHR Incentive payments.
