Xerox, the vendor in charge of the Medi-Cal electronic health record (EHR) incentive payments continues to experience technical difficulties that are complicating some providers' ability to complete their 2012 attestations. Specifically, the Medi-Cal State Level Registry is not properly allowing some providers who have been designated as members of groups to inherit and utilize the group’s information

As you know, the deadline to submit attestation applications for 2012 is March 31, 2013. The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) had originally expected the issue to be resolved last week. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. DHCS continues to work with Xerox on this issue and hopes to have a solution in place soon.

DHCS realizes that the ongoing delay is a hardship to many physicians, groups and clinics. For this reason, DHCS has formally requested that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) allow an extension of the current 2012 program year deadline beyond March 31, 2013. DHCS hopes to have a response to this request within one week.

An email announcement will be sent out and posted on www.medi-cal.ehr.ca.gov as soon as the group module is once again fully functional. DHCS recommends that groups wait until then to submit their applications for the 2012 program year.

For more information visit www.medi-cal.ehr.ca.gov or call Xerox's EHR Program at (866) 879-0109.

Contact: CMA reimbursement help line, (888) 401-5911 or kmarck@cmadocs.org.