What are the current incentives to assist with E.H.R. adoption?
What is the range in incentives our practice can receive on a per physician basis?
How does this act currently define “Certified E.H.R.” product?
How is “Meaingful Use” currently defined?
What does a provider need to do to receive the payment?
Sources
Background on the government stimulus known as the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act or the HITECH Act
On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act into law. This act represents a >$20 billion section of the economic stimulus package that directly incentivizes physicians to use an E.H.R.
The goals of the legislative includes: expand the US Health IT infrastructure and increase adoption of E.H.R.s by physicians to >90% by the year 2019. Initial spending of these funds began 2009 and increased in 2010 and 2011.
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What are the current incentives to assist with E.H.R adoption?
Physicians and other eligible providers can only choose from federal stimulus money from either Medicare or Medicaid. Either program must demonstrate “Meaningful Use” of a certified E.H.R. product. The payments from either Medicaid or Medicare are on a per physician basis beginning in 2011. The payments are greatest in the first year and decline over the next four years.
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What is the range in incentives our practice can receive on a per provider (physician, NP, PA) basis?
Physicians that qualify for Medicaid incentives if they are:
- Pediatricians with 20-30% Medicaid patients (eligible for up to $63,750 over six years)
- Providers in Federally Qualified Health Clinics (FQHCs)/rural clinics with 30 percent “needy patient” volume.
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How does this act currently define “Certified E.H.R.” product?
The The Office of National Coordinator (ONC), a division of Health and Human Services, established the rules for EHR Vendors to obtain certification. No product is certified until they obtain a certification from an ONC-ATCB or ONC-ACB certifying organization. Many EHR Products were ONC-ATCB certified in 2010 (e.g. PhysicianXpress) while others were unable to achieve certification until 2011. A product needs this certification for an office/provider to use the product as part of their application.
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How is “Meaningful Use” currently defined?
Language in the HITECH Act requires providers to show “meaningful use” of a qualified, certified product. A qualified E.H.R provides health-related information for patients and includes:
- Patient demographics and health information
- Ability to provide clinical decision support
- Support for order entry by the provider
- Capability for electronic Health Information Exchange (e.g. eRX, lab connections)
PhysicianXpress™ offers an E.H.R. product that provides these capabilities and was ONC-ATCB Certified in 2010.
As the definitions of “Certified”, “Qualified” and “Meaningful Use” are further defined by the government, we will monitor the implications for our system and respond appropriately.For more information about our software and services please feel free to contact us.
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What does a provider need to do to receive the payment
An eligible professional (e.g. for Pediatrics: Physician, NP with > 20% Medicaid Volume) 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. ¹
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Sources
The text of the legislation is available at www.whitehouse.gov
HIMSS published a summary of the bill (Health IT perspective). This document is available at: www.himss.org
Health and Human Services – Health Information Technology www.hhs.gov
PhysicianXPress is a cloud based pediatric billing/manage pediatric practice management software. Our medical software offers electronic health records, optimized for pediatric doctor’s offices. Our streamlined combination children’s medical care software including both electronic medical records and practice management (including appointment scheduling, charting, billing and tracking, and automated appointment reminders.)
