Are optometrists considered eligible professionals for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program?
Under Medicare, a doctor of optometry is considered a physician (and therefore an EP) with respect to all services the optometrist is authorized to perform under State law or regulation. It is currently unlikely that optometrists would be eligible for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, as the definition of “physician” for the Medicaid program is primarily limited to doctors of medicine and osteopathy (MDs and DOs). Some states are looking at how to leverage an option in their Medicaid State plan that allows them, under special circumstances, to treat adult optometrist services as physician services. Only then could an optometrist could be eligible for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program. Please note that this change would only impact the EHR Incentive Program and not other areas of the Medicaid program. CMS is providing guidance to states that currently cover adult optometry services in order to possibly make optometrists eligible for the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, but it would mo
