CMS opens EHR incentives registration

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology recently announced the availability of registration for Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record incentive programs.

As of Jan. 3, 2011, registration became available for eligible health care professionals and eligible hospitals that wish to participate in the Medicare EHR incentive program. Registration is also available for the Medicaid EHR incentive program in Alaska, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. In February, registration will open in California, Missouri, and North Dakota.

"With the start of registration, these landmark programs get under way, and patients, providers, and the nation can begin to enjoy the benefits of widespread adoption of electronic health records," said CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, MD. “CMS has many resources available to help providers register and participate, and we look forward to working with eligible professionals and eligible hospitals to facilitate the process.”

Eligible professionals and eligible hospitals must register at a registration site maintained by CMS in order to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs. To prepare for registration, interested providers are urged to first visit CMS’S official site for EHR incentive programs,http://www.cms.gov/ehrincentiveprograms.