What is the EHR Incentive Program?
The Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) provides financial compensation for the "Meaningful Use" of certified EHR technology to achieve health and efficiency goals. Meaningful Use provisions of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act were enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Who can participate in the EHR Incentive Program?
Eligible Professionals (EPs) and Eligible Hospitals (EHs) that provide clinical services to Medicare and Medicaid (Medi-Cal, in California) patients and commence the transmission of electronic health data are eligible to receive CMS Meaningful Use EHR financial incentives.
Stage 1 Meaningful Use
The final rule for Stage 1 Meaningful Use requires EPs and EHs to choose at least one public health objective from the set of menu objectives, which includes electronically submitting one of the following:
- Immunization information,
- Electronic reportable laboratory results (eligible hospitals only), or
- Syndromic surveillance
Stage 2 Meaningful Use
For Stage 2 Meaningful Use (2014 CEHRT), requirements include the following:
- On-going submission of electronic data for immunizations and syndromic surveillance for eligible professionals
- On-going submission of electronic data for immunizations, reportable laboratory results and syndromic surveillance for eligible hospitals
- In addition, eligible professionals and eligible hospitals have menu objectives for submitting data to specialized registries. The California Cancer Registry is the designated specialized registry.
Modified Stage 2 Meaningful Use (2015-2017)
For Modified Stage 2 (2015 CEHRT), Public Health and Clinical Data Registry Reporting fall under a single objective. To qualify for this objective, eligible professionals (EP) must meet two (2) of the measures and eligible hospitals (EH) must meet three (3) of the following measures:
- Measure 1 - Immunization Registry Reporting
- Measure 2 - Syndromic Surveillance Reporting
- Measure 3 - Specialized Registry Reporting (California Cancer Registry)
- Measure 4 - Electronic Reportable Laboratory Results Reporting (eligible hospitals only)
Stage 3 Meaningful Use (2018)
For Stage 3 Meaningful Use (2015 CEHRT), Public Health and Clinical Data Registry Reporting fall under a single objective. To qualify for this objective, eligible professionals (EP) must meet two (2) of the measures and eligible hospitals (EH) must meet four (4) of the following measures:
- Measure 1 - Immunization Registry Reporting
- Measure 2 - Syndromic Surveillance Reporting
- Measure 3 - Electronic Case Reporting
- Measure 4 - Public Health Registry Reporting (California Cancer Registry)
- Measure 5 - Clinical Data Registry Reporting
- Measure 6 - Electronic Reportable Laboratory Results Reporting (eligible hospitals only)
Measures 4 and 5 for Public Health and Clinical Data Registry Reporting may be counted up to two times for eligible professionals and up to four times for eligible hospitals, if more than one Public Health Registry or Clinical Data Registry Reporting is available.
An exclusion does not count toward the total measures met.
Where do I submit data in Orange County?
Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) coordinates electronic health data reporting with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). CDPH has developed a secure health information exchange (HIE) web application, the CDPH HIE Gateway, The Gateway allows providers, hospitals and health information exchange organizations to register and manage public health data exchange with CDPH for specific types of reportable diseases and conditions.
HCA does not accept electronic data transmissions directly from providers. Please see information below on how to meet Meaningful Use requirements for Orange County.
Syndromic Surveillance Data – As of June 13, 2023, Orange County has the capability to receive syndromic surveillance messages. Please visit our syndromic webpage for more information.
Immunization Reporting – Register at the California Immunization Registry (CAIR) Messaging Portal and receive reporting instructions.
Electronic Case Reporting (eCR) – Eligible Providers (EP) and Eligible Hospitals (EH) WITH an existing HIE Gateway User Account can register their intent to submit eCR data using certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT) by enrolling for the CDPH Program Name: CalREDIE Electronic Case Reporting (eCR) on the CDPH HIE Gateway: Manage Submissions page.
Providers/Hospitals WITHOUT an existing HIE Gateway User Account will first create a New Account and then will be able to register their intent to submit eCR data using CEHRT by enrolling for the CDPH Program Name: CalREDIE Electronic Case Reporting (eCR) on the CDPH HIE Gateway.
Cancer Case Reporting – Physician offices can register and enroll at the CDPH HIE Gateway to report their cancer related information. If you have questions or concerns, please contact MU2CCRHELP@ccr.ca.gov.
California Parkinson's Disease Registry (CPDR) – Providers/Hospitals WITH an existing HIE Gateway User Account can register their intent to submit Parkinson's disease data by enrolling for the CDPH Program Name: California Parkinson's Disease Registry (CPDR) on the CDPH HIE Gateway: Manage Submissions page.
Providers/Hospitals WITHOUT an existing HIE Gateway User Account will first create a New Account and then will be able to register their intent to submit Parkinson's disease data by enrolling for the CDPH Program Name: California Parkinson's Disease Registry (CPDR) on the CDPH HIE Gateway.
Other Specialized Registry options – Please see Specialized Registries for non-Public Health options.
Electronic Reportable Laboratory Results Data (eligible hospitals only) – Register at the CDPH HIE Gateway to send infectious disease laboratory reports (ELR) for Title 17 reportable conditions to the California Reportable Disease Information Exchange (CalREDIE) within the CDPH Division of Communicable Disease Control.
For inquiries
Please email: meaningfuluse@ochca.com
Last Updated: 6/13/2023
