1/3/2012 UPDATE -  EP Enrollment Commences

We are pleased to announce that the State Level Registry (SLR) portal for providers will open on January 3, 2011.  From January 3 to March 31, 2012 providers can register for either the 2011 or 2012 payment years.  To apply for 2011 payment year providers must provide a signed contract or other documentation for adoption, implementation, or upgrade of a certified EHR technology that was signed by December 31, 2011.  After March 31, 2012 providers can only register for the 2012 payment year.  

12/20/2011 UPDATE -  EP LAUNCH DELAYED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Notice to Professionals,

Due to unanticipated systems development and test issues, the Eligible Professionals module of the State Level Registry (SLR) will not be available on December 20, 2011.  The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) wants to ensure that the module works properly and efficiently before professionals and their representatives begin to apply for the Medi-Cal EHR Incentive Program payments.  DHCS continues to do everything necessary to remediate these issues in the most expeditious manner possible.  Please visit http://medi-cal.ehr.ca.gov/ for daily updates on the status of the module.

Additionally, in order to enable professionals to register for the 2011 program year, the deadline for attestation has been extended from February 29, 2012 to March 31, 2012.  However, in order to take advantage of this extension, professionals must have documentation of adopting, implementing, or upgrading certified EHR technology that is signed by December 31, 2011.

12/12/2011 UPDATE - EP LAUNCH DELAYED  until 12/20/11

The launch of the State Level Registry portal for providers and provider proxies, originally scheduled for December 15, 2011, has been delayed until December 20, 2011 to allow time for further refinement and testing of the software.  DHCS regrets this delay but wants to make sure that the website works efficiently for providers and their representatives when they begin using it to apply for the Medi-Cal EHR Incentive Program.  Thank you for your patience.

The portal for hospitals opened on October 15, 2011 and thus far over 160 hospitals have registered.  In order to enable more hospitals to register for the 2011 program year, the deadline for application has been extended to December 31, 2011.  However, hospitals must have documentation of adopting, implementing, or upgrading certified EHR technology that was signed by September 30, 2011 in order to take advantage of this extension.

The portal for clinics and groups opened on November 15, 2011 and continues to receive clinic and group information. 

11/15/2011 UPDATE - Group/Clinic Enrollment Commences

We are pleased to announce that California has opened registration for groups and clinics. Beginning today, group/clinic representatives can register their group/clinic(s) in the State Level Registry. Provider registration is scheduled to begin on December 15, 2011. 

10/3/2011 Update - Hospital Enrollment commences

California launched the State Level Registry on October 3, 2011, allowing hospitals to attest to Adoption, Implementation or Upgrade of certified EHR technology, and receive Medi-Cal EHR Incentive payments.  Attestation modules for groups will be available November 15, 2011.  Attestation modules for professionals will be available December 15, 2011. 

We would like to reassure providers and hospitals that although these launch dates may affect the timing of payments, they will not affect the total amount of payments. Hospital administrators may begin to prepare for the application process by using the Hospital Eligibility Workbook provided in the link below. Workbooks for Eligible Groups and Eligible Professionals will also be available as their launch dates draw near.   

8/18/2011 Update -  Eligible Hospital Enrollment to commmence October 3, 2011 

California will launch the State Level Registry on October 3, 2011, allowing Eligible Hospitals to attest to Adoption, Implementation or Upgrade of certified EHR technology, and receive Medi-Cal EHR Incentive payments.  Attestation modules for Eligible Groups will be available November 15, 2011.  Attestation modules for Eligible Providers will be available December 15, 2011. 

We would like to reassure providers and hospitals that although these launch dates may affect the timing of payments, they will not affect the total amount of payments. Hospital administrators may begin to prepare for the application process by using the Hospital Eligibility Workbook provided in the link below. Workbooks for Eligible Groups and Eligible Professionals will also be available as their launch dates draw near.  

6/23/2011 Update:

The state has completed review and update of Eligible Hospital Requirements and Eligible Provider Requirements, and is expected to complete review of Group Requirements shortly.  Once requirements updates are completed, level of effort will be established and a launch date set. It is anticipated that the Level of Effort document will be presented to DHCS on or around July 7^th.   

At the direction of the DHCS, ACS has abandoned their State Level Registry (SLR) Commercially available Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solution, which was being implemented in various states.  The complexity of California’s healthcare delivery system, coupled with unique requirements and solutions, mandated that ACS split the code and create a unique California solution.  ACS is in the process of bringing on a dedicated team to make the necessary modifications resulting from updated requirements.  Recruitment efforts are nearly complete.   The department has also brought on additional technical staff to oversee development and conduct user acceptance testing of the SLR.   It is anticipated that these efforts will result in a solution that meets the expectations of CMS, the state and our provider community.  

5/18/2011 Update:

The state has met with key stakeholders on several occasions and is making progress with the prequalification formulas for eligible providers and clinics. The state, with the help of stakeholders, has also developed a prequalification methodology for managed care providers.  This week the state met with its Region II counterparts in the State of New York, and with CMS Region II and IV to discuss similarities of approaches to prequalification formulas. DHCS has submitted a draft proposal to CMS for review.

The Office of Health Information Technology is working closely with its contractor, ACS and the department’s Information Technology Services Division to address State Level Registry (SLR) defects identified by ACS during the final phase of User Acceptance Testing for the Eligible Hospital Component of the SLR.  In addition, system requirements are being updated to reflect user recommendations for enhancing the SLR, as well as making necessary changes to address CMS requirements.  It is anticipated that requirements updates will be completed and Level of Effort determined the first week of June.  This will result in the state receiving an updated work plan and timeline to determine a firm California EHR Incentive Program launch date.  The state would like to remind Medi-Cal eligible providers and hospitals that although this delay may affect the timing of their payments, it will not affect the total amount of their payments.