February 25, 2013
The meaningful use program kicked off with a bang in 2010, but participation hasn’t progressed as rapidly as the industry expected it to at this point. Now that eligible providers can no longer qualify for the maximum incentives for demonstrating meaningful use, a lot of the urgency for meeting requirements has diminished.
However, a majority of physicians are in danger of incurring penalties in 2015 for not meeting meaningful use requirements by this year. In other words, those who don’t demonstrate meaningful use during (or before) 2013 will see a 1 percent reduction in their Medicare reimbursements in 2015. That percentage goes up each year an EP doesn’t demonstrate meaningful use.
Those who demonstrate meaningful use during 2013 put themselves in a good position because not only will they avoid the 2015 penalty but they will still be able to take advantage of incentives the government has set aside for adopting electronic health records. EPs can still qualify for up to $39,000 in free money.
With the craziness of the New Year behind us, now is the perfect time to sit down and figure out how your practice will meet meaningful use this year. Preparing for meaningful use often takes practices longer than they plan on, so even though you are only required to report for 90 days the first year you demonstrate meaningful use, we recommend starting the process immediately to ensure you have plenty of time to make the transition. Don’t let procrastination keep you from collecting your incentive and avoiding the penalty.
Call 888-337-4441 or visit www.chartlogic.com today to get started.