Medicare EHR Incentive Program Attestation Patterns

Approximately 58k health care professionals attested to meaningful use of a certified EHR in 2011 through the Medicare EHR Incentive program. As of May 2014, 9 in 10 providers who attested to Meaningful Use in 2011 attested again in a following year. Of the 16% of providers that skipped their second year (2012), 43% returned to the program in 2013. 9% of the initial cohort skipped both 2012 and 2013.

The Public Use File used for this analysis only includes Medicare attestations and therefore does not capture instances where a health care professional switched from the Medicare program to the Medicaid program. Up to an estimated 1% of providers may be noted as 'skipping' a year when in fact they switched from Medicare to Medicaid. Providers may also skip a year because they are no longer eligible for the program due to retirement, departure from active or ambulatory care practice, or other reasons.

9 in 10 providers who attested to Meaningful Use in 2011 attested again in a following year. 43% of those providers who skipped Meaningful Use in 2012 returned to the program in 2013.