Program Year 2021 EHR Incentive Program Was The Last Year For This Program
The Nebraska Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program was a state-run program that is federally funded by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS). The purpose of the program was to encourage and assist eligible providers and hospitals in using their EHRs in meaningful ways that produce better health outcomes for Nebraska's citizens. Eligible providers and hospitals submitted attestations to the Nebraska Medicaid EHR Incentive Program and, if approved, were issued incentive payments. The program ran from 2012 to 2021. During this time, eligible providers could have received up to six payments and eligible hospitals could have received up to three payments.
Program Year 2016 was the final year that EPs and EHs could begin the attestation process with the Nebraska Medicaid EHR Incentive Program.
For frequently asked questions and tips for EHR audits, please visit the following page:
EHR FAQ - Last Updated June 12, 2020
- Attestation Period: July 1, 2021 - October 31, 2021 was the last attestation period to qualify for an incentive payment for this program.
CMS News Issued:
New CMS final rules highlights are as follows:
- December 31, 2021 was the final day that states could make Medicaid Promoting Interoperability Program payments to Medicaid eligible professionals (EPs) and hospitals.
Please see "CMS News" under EHR Incentive Program Resources for more information.
EHR Program History
In February 2009, Congress enacted the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act ("HITECH"), as part of the federal stimulus package. The legislation included a number of provisions designed to encourage the adoption and use of health information technology, including EHRs and the development of a health information exchange (HIE) infrastructure to improve health outcomes while providing cost savings efficiencies.
One of the initiatives of this legislation is the EHR Incentive Program. Under this program, states will distribute incentive payments to qualified Medicaid providers that meaningfully use certified EHR technology.
Nebraska's initial State Medicaid Health Information Plan (SMHP) was approved by CMS in November 2011. Nebraska launched the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program on May 7, 2012. This program ended December 31, 2021.
For more historical information regarding the EHR Incentive Program please visit the CMS website at: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/regulations-guidance/promoting-interoperability-programs.
General Information
One of the initiatives of the HITECH legislation was the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program. Under this program, states process incentive payments to qualified Medicaid providers and hospitals that adopted, implemented, upgraded, or currently demonstrate meaningful use of their certified EHR technology.
Professional types that were eligible for the Nebraska Medicaid EHR Incentive Program included:
- Physicians (DO or MD)
- Dentists
- Certified Nurse Midwives
- Nurse Practitioners
- Physician Assistants practicing in a FQHC/RHC “led" by a Physician Assistant
Hospitals eligible for the Nebraska Medicaid EHR Incentive Program included acute care hospitals (including critical access) and children's hospitals.
Eligible Professionals (EPs) could have received their full EHR incentive payments over a six-year period and Eligible Hospitals (EHs) received their full EHR incentive payments over a consecutive three-year period.
Program Year 2016 was the final year that EPs and EHs could begin the attestation process with the Nebraska Medicaid EHR Incentive Program.
EHR Incentive Program Library
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EHR Incentive Program Resources
EHR Resources
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) EHR Incentive Program FAQs:
CMS News
Press Releases
Final Rules
Information about the Nebraska Health Information Initiative health information exchange (HIE):
Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)
Information about the Nebraska Information Technology Commission's strategic initiatives:
Information about other national health information technology (HIT) initiatives, including EHR Certification Standards:
Contact Us
Questions may be sent to DHHS.EHRIncentives@nebraska.gov.