42 CFR § 495.100 - Definitions.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t42/s495.100"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "42 CFR § 495.100 - Definitions."
title_number: 42
title_name: "Public Health"
section_number: "495.100"
section_name: "Definitions."
chapter_name: "CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES"
subchapter_number: "G"
subchapter_name: "STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATION"
part_number: "495"
part_name: "STANDARDS FOR THE ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD TECHNOLOGY INCENTIVE PROGRAM"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "42 U.S.C. 1302 and 1395hh."
regulatory_source: "75 FR 44565, July 28, 2010, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "495"
---


# 495.100 Definitions.

In this subpart unless otherwise indicated—

*Covered professional services* means (as specified in section 1848(k)(3) of the Act) services furnished by an EP for which payment is made under, or is based on, the Medicare physician fee schedule.

*Eligible hospital* means a hospital subject to the prospective payment system specified in § 412.1(a)(1) of this chapter, excluding those hospitals specified in § 412.23 of this chapter, excluding those hospital units specified in § 412.25 of this chapter, and including Puerto Rico eligible hospitals unless otherwise indicated.

*Eligible professional (EP)* means a physician as defined in section 1861(r) of the Act, which includes, with certain limitations, all of the following types of professionals:

(1) A doctor of medicine or osteopathy.

(2) A doctor of dental surgery or medicine.

(3) A doctor of podiatric medicine.

(4) A doctor of optometry.

(5) A chiropractor.

*Geographic health professional shortage area (HPSA)* means a geographic area that is designated by the Secretary under section 332(a)(1)(A) of the PHS Act as of December 31 of the year prior to the payment year as having a shortage of health professionals.

*Puerto Rico eligible hospital* means a subsection (d) Puerto Rico hospital as defined in section 1886(d)(9)(A) of the Social Security Act.

*Qualifying CAH* means a CAH that is a meaningful EHR user for the EHR reporting period applicable to a payment year or payment adjustment year in which a cost reporting period begins.

*Qualifying eligible professional (qualifying EP)* means an EP who is a meaningful EHR user for the EHR reporting period applicable to a payment or payment adjustment year and who is not a hospital-based EP, as determined for that payment or payment adjustment year.

*Qualifying hospital* means an eligible hospital that is a meaningful EHR user for the EHR reporting period applicable to a payment or payment adjustment year.

[75 FR 44565, July 28, 2010, as amended at 77 FR 54157, Sept. 4, 2012; 83 FR 41710, Aug. 17, 2018]