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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is reminding providers not yet participating in the electronic health records meaningful use program of the need to register early for the program.

Early registration will ease resolution of any issues that may arise later that can affect incentive payments, according to CMS. A requirement before registration is to enroll in the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System, known as PECOS. An organization’s meaningful use registration status will remain pending until enrolled in PECOS.

Information needed during PECOS enrollment includes an active national provider identifier, a National Plan and Provider Enumerator System user ID and password, legal name and date of birth, Social Security number, school name and graduation year, professional license and certification information, practice location address, information about any adverse actions that have occurred, and Drug Enforcement Agency number.

Once registered for meaningful use, providers should confirm that the information their Medicare Administrative Contractors system that processes claims is up-to-date and matches information in the meaningful use registration and attestation system. A link to find the Medicare Administrative Contractors information is available here.

The meaningful use Registration and Attestation system is available here, with a comprehensive registration, attestation and PECOS checklist here.