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Alert
 

 AHCCCS Attestation Updates & Upcoming Medicare eRx Incentive Program Exemption Deadline

 

AHCCCS Attestation Updates for Eligible Hospitals (EHs) and Eligible Professionals (EPs)  

AHCCCS has announced that it anticipates opening Adopt-Implement-Upgrade (AIU) Attestation for Eligible Hospitals (EHs) by October 31, 2011 and for Eligible Professionals (EPs) approximately a month later.  AHCCCS is currently conducting a pilot program with EPs and EHs to ensure all administrative aspects of the program are ready and tested for attestation. This phased approach mirrors the same approach that CMS took with its launch of the Medicare EHR Incentive Program.  EH Attestation will open prior to EP Attestation due to the deadline of November 30, 2011 for hospitals to attest for 2011 Medicaid EHR Incentive payments.

Any EH who qualifies for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program for the 2011 Federal Fiscal Year (October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011) must submit their AIU Attestation to AHCCCS via the ePIP system by November 30, 2011 in order to qualify for a 2011 Medicaid Incentive payment.

Any EP who qualifies for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program in Calendar Year 2011 (January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011) must submit their AIU Attestation to AHCCCS by February 29, 2012 in order to receive a 2011 incentive payment.  AHCCCS anticipates that once an EP attests, the incentive payment will be paid within 60 days.  

The REC will continue to communicate updates regarding the AHCCCS Medicaid EHR Incentive Program as they are available.  Updates will also be communicated via the REC website's AHCCCS EHR Incentive Program Updates & FAQs page.  If you would like to receive notification every time new information is added to this webpage, follow the REC on Twitter - a tweet will be sent out every time a new update is added!

 

Hardship Exemption Deadline Nov. 1 for the Medicare eRx Incentive Program 

As a reminder, the deadline is fast approaching to request a hardship exemption for the 2012 Medicare Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive program adjustment.  The deadline is November 1, 2011.

Eligible professionals (EPs) and group practices should determine if they are subject to the 2012 eRx payment adjustment by reviewing the MLN Article SE1107. If you believe that you may be subject to the 2012 eRx payment adjustment, you should determine if you meet any of the hardship exemption categories specified by CMS in the 2011 Medicare Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program Final Rule.

One example of a hardship exemption applies to EPs who register to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs and adopt certified EHR technology.  To claim this exemption, an EP must have adopted certified EHR technology no later than October 1, 2011 and must have registered for either the Medicare or Medicaid EHR Incentive Program.  In this example, it is not required that the EP receive an incentive payment prior to claiming the exemption.

A Quick Reference Guide is available to help you understand the changes that the eRx Final Rule made to the 2011 Medicare eRx Incentive Program. As a result of changes to the program, EPs and group practices have until November 1, 2011 to submit a significant hardship exemption request and rationale.

To request an exemption, individual EPs must submit their hardship exemption requests through the Quality Communications Support Page and group practices participating under the group practice reporting option (GPRO) must submit hardship exemption requests via a letter to CMS.  

Please remember that CMS will review these requests on a case-by-case basis.  All decisions on significant hardship exemption requests will be final.

For additional information and resources, please visit the eRx page on the CMS website, and see the new FAQ



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