CMS to run prepayment audits for meaningful use
May 23, 2013 - Six years is the time The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recommends holding on to all documentation to support attestation data for meaningful use objectives and clinical quality measures.
CMS recently announced it will begin conducting prepayment audits for the EHR Incentive Program, starting with attestations submitted during and after 2013. Previous audits conducted in 2012 were postpayment audits.
- EHR Incentive Program
CMS published two guidance documents for providers. The EHR Incentive Programs Audits Overview provides some insight into the audit process, while the EHR Incentive Programs Supporting Documentation for Audits provides more detailed information on the type of supporting documents and information providers should maintain for audit purposes.
Providers who receive an EHR incentive payment for either the Medicare or Medicaid EHR Incentive Program may be subject to an audit. CMS is recommending that eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) retain all documentation to support attestation data for meaningful use objectives and clinical quality measures should be retained for 6 years post-attestation.
For more information: www.astro.com, www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/EHRIncentivePrograms, www.appliedradiationoncology.com, and www.appliedradiology.com