Thursday, March 14, 2013

How Sequestration Will Affect Medicare EHR Incentive Payments

Many of our members have been asking if Sequestration will affect the Medicare EHR incentive payments. In a March 13, 2013 announcement on the CMS EHR Registration and Attestation site CMS states the following:

Medicare payments will be reduced by 2% - Medicare payments will be reduced by 2% as a result of sequestration. This reduction will affect any Medicare EHR Incentive payment made by CMS on or after April 1, 2013. Medicaid payments are exempt from sequestration and as a result Medicaid EHR Incentive Payments will not be reduced.

Regardless of when you submitted your attestation information, if the payment is occurring on or after April 1, 2013 this reduction is in effect.