On September 1, 2009, CMS issued a letter to State Medicaid Directors to provide initial guidance on state administration of the incentive payments for eligible Medicaid providers who adopt and become meaningful users of electronic health records. These incentives were authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), specifically section 4201 titled Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH). Under the ARRA, HHS is authorized to reimburse states 100% of the incentives paid to eligible providers, and 90% of the state’s planning and implementation expenses incurred to administer the Medicaid incentive program. The criteria that states must meet, as set forth in this initial guidance, illustrates that states should act promptly to engage in certain, significant planning activities in order to ensure that the ARRA Medicaid incentives can be made available in a timely manner to eligible Medicaid providers in the state.
eligible professional incentives for electronic medical records
CMS Website on ARRA’s Health Information Technology Includes Fact Sheet with FAQs
On June 16, 2009, on the same date the ONC HIT Policy Committee released the first draft of “meaningful use” of electronic health records (EHRs), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the CMS Health Information Technology Website to address health information technology (Health IT or HIT) under the ARRA’s Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act). The CMS HIT website focuses on the following three areas of ARRA Health IT:
- Health IT incentives and support for adoption
- Establishment of Health IT standards and infrastructure
- Privacy and security pertaining to Health IT
These are the three main areas pertaining to Health IT in which CMS will be involved under the HITECH Act.
CCHIT posts new criteria for certain electronic health records
On May 29, 2009, the Certification Commission for Healthcare Technology (CCHIT) released its recently developed criteria, test scripts, and the “Concise Guide to CCHIT Criteria” outlining the characteristics of a qualified electronic health record (EHR). This criteria relates to ambulatory, inpatient, enterprise, and emergency room electronic health records. The “Concise Guide to CCHIT Criteria”, which is specific to ambulatory and inpatient criteria only, highlights the 2009 changes. The criteria has been submitted to the Health Information Technology Standards Committee for review, and feedback is anticipated by August 26. Shortly thereafter, CCHIT will begin accepting applications for the certification programs. To access this article, click here.
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