Meaningful Use 

Meaningful Use (MU) refers to the use of a certified EHR software to improve patient care.  Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) has established objectives (core measures and menu measures), and thresholds for each, that providers must demonstrate to meet MU.  The objectives and thresholds differ depending on the stage of MU. There are a total of 3 stages.  See MU requirements:  http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/EHRIncentivePrograms/Meaningful_Use.html

For 2014 only, all providers, regardless of their stage of MU, are only required to demonstrate MU for a three-month (90 day) EHR reporting period.  See http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/EHRIncentivePrograms/Stage_2.html.  Medicaid providers in their first incentive payment year do not need to demonstrate MU in 2014, so this does not apply.

Your MU year does not necessarily match your incentive payment year. 

• Medicaid:  In the first year of incentive payment, providers only need to prove that they Adopted, Implemented or Upgraded (AIU) to a certified EHR software. They do not need to demonstrate MU.  In the second year of incentive payment (MU Year 1), providers must demonstrate MU for 90 days.  In the third through sixth year (MU Year 2+), providers must demonstrate MU for 1 year.  The chart below shows a typical progression for Medicaid providers, based on the first year of participation (first incentive payment year).  In 2014, most eligible providers using EZ2000 Plus Dental will prove AIU, or begin their first or second year of demonstrating Stage 1 MU. 

• Medicare: For all incentive payment years, providers must demonstrate MU. Year one: 90 days. (do not mistake this for 3 months) Year 2+: 1 year.  The chart below shows the progression through MU, based on the first year of participation.