Update - Final Regulations Released!
07/13/2010 - Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the finalized regulations regarding electronic health record (EHR) incentives, as called for in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. This program, also known as the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act), provides significant incentives for physicians who achieve federally-defined performance standards with certified EHR technology. The new regulations total nearly 1000 pages and can be found at http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2010-17207_PI.pdf.
Early indications are that some of the initially-proposed measures and guidelines have been relaxed and the AllMeds team is analyzing the full contents of HHS’ rules and criteria. However, work already underway by our development team means AllMeds’ EHR is in a strategically well-placed position for testing and certification. While the key question is the difference that exists between earlier proposed regulations and those released today, AllMeds is fully confident that our EHR will achieve certification soon after testing begins in the late summer or early fall.
Quick Facts: EHR Incentives
The Bottom Line: EHR Incentives Are Here. Now.
It's Time to Act.
A recent summary provided by the Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) described the HITECH portion of the AARA as follows:.
"Incentives through Medicare for the Meaningful Use of Certified EHR Technology:
Establishment of incentive payments through Medicare for the meaningful use of certified EHR technology by "eligible professionals and hospitals".
EHR Incentive payments to eligible professionals:
An eligible professional (physician) will receive incentive payments as specified in the legislation, for the first five years (2011-2015), for demonstrating a meaningful use of EHR technology and demonstrated performance during the reporting period for each payment year. If an eligible professional does not demonstrate meaningful use by 2015, his/her reimbursement payments under Medicare will begin to be reduced. No incentive payment will be made after 2016...
....EHR Stimulus Payment schedule for an eligible professional is as follows:
1) First payment year for such professional is $18,000
2) For second payment year for such professional is $12,000
3) For the third payment year for such professional is $8,000
4) For the fourth payment year for such professional is $4,000
5) For the fifth payment year for such professional $2,000
6) For any succeeding payment year for such professional is $0
If eligible professionals have not become meaningful users of EHRs by 2015, they will not receive full Medicare payments beginning in 2015. The reduction in the fee schedule is as follows:
2015 - 99%
2016 - 98%
2017 and each subsequent year - 97%.
Provisions also apply to Medicare Advantage Organizations...
For full details, please see:
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
HIMSS Summary of Key Health Information Technology Provisions
©Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)
