The Basics As to How to Receive Medicare "Meaning Use" Bonus Payments

In order to obtain the Medicare “Meaningful Use” bonus, you must:

1. Register for the Meaningful Use Incentive Program (plan for 20-60 minutes).

2. Use an ONC certified EHR such as SOAPware 2011 (use for 90 days in 2011).

3. Subsequently attest to meaningfully-using SOAPware (plan for 20-60 minutes).

1. Register for the Meaningful Use Incentive Program (plan for 20-60 minutes).

The first step is to get the EHR Certification number:

-Go to http://onc-chpl.force.com/ehrcert/

-Select “Ambulatory Practice Type.”

-In the middle grey box, ensure Product Name is selected from the drop-down, and type soapware in the “Search for” field.

-Click the Search button.

-Click on the Add to Cart link.

-Click the Get CMS EHR Certification ID button on the right-side. This gives you the number you will need when you subsequently attest for “meaningful use.”

The second step is to register for the Meaningful Use Incentive Program:

Preview the information at the https://ehrincentives.cms.gov/hitech/ prior to registering for Meaningful Use. At that location is a very good video explaining the process. The information from the video is also available in document form from: http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/Downloads/EHRMedicareEP_RegistrationUserGuide.pdf

2. Use an ONC certified EHR such as SOAPware 2011 (use for 90 days in 2011).

Again, SOAPware 2011 is certified on ALL certification criteria, and on ALL NQF Quality Reporting Measures. Any eligible professional can use SOAPware 2011 to meet Meaningful Use requirements, including primary care and specialists. SOAPware 2011 expected to be available late February. Start now by reviewing the SOAPware 2011 Meaningful Use Guides online at http://soapware.screenstepslive.com/spaces/documentation/manuals/mu_overview

Much more information and several videos explaining and demonstrating the "meaningful use" of SOAPware are in the works for release within the next few weeks and the process will be fine-tuned over the next few months. (Warning!! Avoid any EMR/EHR implementation that does not demonstrate the step-by-step processes in advance.)

3. Attest to meaningfully-using SOAPware (plan for 20-60 minutes).

For Stage One, which is 2011-2012, providers only have to attest that they have used a ONC-certified product for at least 90 days in calendar year 2011. It will have to be used for all 12 months in 2012. Attestation will occur online, but the website to self-attest is not yet available. It is expected sometime in April, 2011. More information can be found at https://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/01_Overview.asp