The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) estimates that CMS made $729.4 million in Electronic Health Incentive (EHR) payments to providers who did not meet meaningful use requirements from May 2011 to June 2014 – representing about 12% of the $6 billion in total EHR payments made during this period. This dramatic finding is based on a random sample of only 100 providers who received one or more payments during this timeframe; 14 providers in this sample received payments of $291,222 that did not meet the meaningful use requirements (e.g., insufficient attestation support, inappropriate reported meaningful use periods, or insufficiently used certified EHR technology). The OIG criticizes CMS for conducting "minimal documentation reviews of self-attestations, leaving the EHR program vulnerable to abuse and misuse of Federal funds." The OIG also identified additional inappropriate EHR incentive payments made when eligible professionals (EPs) switched between Medicare and Medicaid incentive programs. The OIG recommends that CMS identify and recover inappropriate incentive payments, educate EPs on proper documentation requirements, and take additional steps to prevent inappropriate payments.
This article is presented for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice.
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