Registration

Eligible professionals must have an enrollment record in the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) in order to receive a Medicare EHR incentive payment. Just because you bill and receive payments from Medicare does not mean that you are in the PECOS system. Please verify that you have an enrollment record in PECOS. If you find that you are not currently in PECOS, establish your enrollment record now.

a)   Use Internet-based PECOS to look for your PECOS enrollment record. (You will need to first set up your access to Internet-based PECOS.) Go to Verify PECOS Record (5-page PDF) for more information. If no record is displayed, you do not have an enrollment record in PECOS.
OR
b)   Check the Ordering Referring Report on the CMS web site. If you are of a specialty permitted to order and refer and you are on that report, you have a current enrollment record in PECOS. Go to Ordering and Referring Report
OR
c)   Contact your designated Medicare enrollment contractor and ask if you have an enrollment record in PECOS. Go to Contact List (11-page PDF) for contact information.

If you do not have an enrollment record in PECOS, Internet-based PECOS is the fastest and most efficient way to submit your enrollment application. For instructions, see Basics of Internet-based PECOS for Physicians and Non-Physician Practitioners (16-page PDF).

Registration is now open and eligible professionals are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible. You don't need a certified EHR to complete your registration but you will need:

1. Your National Provider Identifier (NPI)
2. An enrollment record in PECOS (which you took care of in Step 1)
3. National Plan and Provider Enumeration system (NPPES) User ID and Password (same as the ones used in PECOS)
   

If you are planning to reassign your incentive payment to another entity, you will also need that entities Tax Identification Number (TIN) and NPI.

You do not have to provide information on the EHR technology you are using when you register. Information about the certified EHR technology you meaningfully use will be required when you go through the attestation process later.

However, you will need to identify which incentive program (Medicare OR Medicaid) you plan to participate in. You can change this designation as often as you like before you receive your first payment but only once after that first payment is dispersed.

Register for the Medicare or Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs

AAFP member Bradd Tripp, MD and his team at EMRVillage.com have put together  step-by-step video of the registration process (Adobe Flash Player required).