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ILHITREC Webinar Tuesday, Sept. 26, on Updated EHR Medicaid Incentive Program Requirements
Registration is open for ILHITREC's upcoming webinar entitled "Updated 2017 EHR Medicaid Incentive Payment Program Requirements." The Webinar is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 26, from Noon-1 PM (CDT). Register Now!  Learn about the most up-to-date requirements necessary to successfully attest for the 2017 EHR Medicaid Incentive Payment Program (eMIPP) as we near Oct. 1, 2017, the last eligible 90 day reporting period. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Questions? Contact us at [email protected].
Important EHR Deadline Dates from CMS 
The Medicare EHR Incentive Program for returning Eligible Professionals (EPs) ended with the 2016 reporting period. Information on the CMS website details important deadlines: First-time EPs who have not demonstrated Meaningful Use successfully in a prior year have until Oct. 1, 2017 to attest or apply for the one-time hardship exception if they are transitioning to MIPS in 2017. Starting in 2017, Medicare eligible clinicians will report to the Quality Payment Program. To learn more about the Quality Payment Program, visit the official website .
Understanding Modified Stage 2 MU Measures
ILHITREC's Clinical Informatics Specialists have developed a guide to understanding Modified Stage 2 Meaningful Use Measures. Recent issues of ILHITREC's Weekly News Update have focused on individual measures.They have been compiled into one resource and are accessible through ILHITREC's website.  
The Measures include: How to Protect Patient Information; Clinical Decision Support; Computerized Provider Order Entry; Electronic Prescribing (eRX); Health Information Exchange; Patient Specific Education; Medication Reconciliation; Patient Electronic Access; Secure Electronic Messaging; Public Health Reporting - Immunization Registry Reporting; Public Health Reporting - Specialized Registry Reporting.
Corrected ACI Table in 2017 CMS
QRDA III Implementation Guide Available
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has corrected an error in the 2017 CMS Quality Reporting Document Architecture Category III (QRDA III) Implementation Guide (IG) Version 1.0 for Eligible Clinicians and Eligible Professionals Programs. The updated version is a republication of the 2017 CMS QRDA III IG for Eligible Clinicians and Eligible Professionals published on 7/7/2017. This announcement is for vendors and data submitters about the correction in Table 49: Advancing Care Information Objectives and Measures Identifiers. The description of the measure identifier ACI_LVITC_1 now includes the word "Exclusion."There are no other changes in this document.
  • Measure Objective: Health Information Exchange 
  • Measure Identifier: ACI_LVITC_1
  • Measure: *Proposed Request/Accept Summary of Care Exclusion
  • Reporting Metric: Yes/No
Additional QRDA-Related Resources
You can find additional QRDA related resources, as well as current and past implementation guides, on the  eCQI Resource Center and the  CMS eCQM Library.  
Medicaid EHR Incentive Program Through 2021 
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reminds Eligible Professionals (EPs) and Eligible Hospitals (EHs) that the  Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, which is administered voluntarily by states and territories, will continue through 2021. Read the full story here.
To participate in the program in 2017, EPs and EHs must attest to:
ILHITREC's Clinical Informatics Specialists are trained to assist you with any questions or concerns related to the EHR Incentive Programs. Contact us at [email protected] or visit ILHITREC.org for complete details on the wide variety of services provided by ILHITREC.  
Do we still need to participate in eMIPP if we are required to participate in MIPS this year?
Yes!   Some of the many reasons to continue in the Medicaid incentive program include:
  1. Funding! Participating providers can still earn $8,500 per provider per year through 2021 in achieving progressive levels of meaningful use.
  2. Alignment! The EHR program requirements currently align with other payers' requirements and incentive programs.
  3. Data! Tracking your data can help you realize areas you can improve on. Identify health trends for patients individually and as a group. To be able to measure patient outcomes and have this available to use as feedback for the patients, providers and staff.
  4. Support!  ILHITREC can provide support for your participation in this program at no cost
  5. Preparation! Continue to utilize benefits of the EHR you already have implemented and are paying for because this will prepare you for the transition to value-based payment models. Even if you are not required to participate in MIPS in 2017, its only a matter of time before all providers will be included in these programs.
  6. Rising Expectations! Patients now expect certain services associated with having an EHR, such as access to their online health records, lab results right away, electronic messaging, electronic medical record sharing with their other providers.
Changes Finalized for EPs Participating Under eMIPP
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued the IPPS Final Rule, which has implications for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive Programs. CMS announced that it agrees with commenters about establishing a 90-day CQM reporting period during CY 2017 for all Medicaid EPs, regardless of submission method because it would reduce burden and streamline the program requirements. Therefore, CMS is establishing a CQM reporting period of any continuous 90-day period during CY 2017 for all Medicaid EPs, regardless of reporting electronically or manual submission. Illinois will allow both electronic and manual submission of CQMs. Read the Full Story. 
 
SEPTEMBER 2017  

 
 

ABOUT SUPPORT PROVIDED BY ILHITREC:
The Illinois Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (ILHITREC), under contract with the Illinois Department of Health and Family Services (HFS), is providing education, outreach, EHR, and Meaningful Use support to Medicaid providers for the Electronic Health Record Medical Incentive Payment Program (eMIPP). Contact us at [email protected];  Phone : 815-753-5900; Fax: 815-753-7278.