OIG Reports On Medicare EHR Incentive Program Vulnerabilities

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) faces obstacles to overseeing the Medicare electronic health record (EHR) incentive program that leave the program vulnerable to paying incentives to professionals and hospitals that do not fully meet the meaningful use requirements, states a November 28, 2012, report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG). OIG reviewed CMS's oversight of professionals' and hospitals' self-reported meaningful use of certified EHR technology in 2011, the first year of the program, and analyzed the information to ensure that it met program requirements. According to OIG, CMS has not implemented strong enough prepayment safeguards, and its ability to safeguard incentive payments postpayment is also limited.