Update to NC Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive Program

Providers have until April 30, 2018, to submit a complete and accurate attestation for Program Year 2017 of the NC Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program.

After that no changes can be made. Attestations submitted within 30 days of the deadline are not guaranteed to be reviewed prior to April 30, 2018. Providers are advised to submit their attestation no later than March 30, 2018, so discrepancies may be addressed.

Eligible professionals (EPs) can receive a maximum of $63,750 for six years of successful participation in the NC Medicaid EHR Incentive Program. Program Year 2021 is the last year to participate; therefore, EPs who received only one incentive payment prior to Program Year 2017 must successfully attest in Program Year 2017 and each remaining year through Program Year 2021 to receive all six payments. EPs who successfully attested at least once in program years 2011 through 2016 can return in Program Year 2017 even if they were previously denied.

If the provider was paid for Program Year 2016 using a patient volume reporting period from calendar year 2016, they may use the same patient volume reporting period when attesting in Program Year 2017.

In Program Year 2017, providers have the option to attest to Modified Stage 2 Meaningful Use (MU) or Stage 3 MU. For objective and measure requirements, providers should refer to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Modified Stage 2 MU or the CMS Stage 3 MU specification sheets.

The attestation guides are updated each year. Providers should use the most current Modified Stage 2 MU or Stage 3 MU attestation guide. Attestation guides can also be accessed from the menu on the right-hand side of the NC Medicaid EHR Incentive Payment System (NC-MIPS).

Note: Clinical Quality Measures (CQM) have been updated in Program Year 2017. Providers will now select six CQMs from a list of 53. To see the Program Year 2017 CQMs, visit the Electronic Clinical Quality Improvement Resource Center (eCQI) website.

For more information, visit the NC Medicaid EHR Incentive Program web page.

Updates for Program Year 2018

On Aug. 14, 2017, CMS issued the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Final Rule. The final rule made the following changes to the NC Medicaid EHR Incentive Program in Program Year 2018:

  • Stage 3 MU is no longer required in Program Year 2018. Providers may attest to either Modified Stage 2 MU or Stage 3 MU.
  • Providers may use a 2014 Edition Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT), 2015 Edition CEHRT, or a combination of 2014 Edition and 2015 Edition CEHRT.
  • Providers will select six CQMs from a list of 53 (applicable in Program Year 2017).
  • Providers may continue using a 90-day MU reporting period.