Allison Tsai

In order to encourage providers to adopt EHR technology, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 

 state Medicaid directors that the federal government will reimburse states for 100 percent of incentive payments made to healthcare providers showing “meaningful use” of electronic health records.

Federal economic stimulus law allows hospitals and physicians who demonstrate “meaningful use” of EHRs to qualify for Medicaid and Medicare incentive payments. The letter is CMS’s first formal guidance on how Medicaid officials should disburse the payments.

In addition, CMS announced that state Medicaid agencies can immediately apply for federal matching funds to cover 90 percent of the planning stages of the incentive payments program. To receive the matching funds, state agencies must use an official planning document and get pre-approval from CMS. CMS also recommends that states develop a plan to audit their incentive payment programs.

The letter also asked states to develop a State Medicaid Health IT Plan outlining targets for promoting interoperable EHR systems, including a current assessment of the state’s IT capabilities, an implementation plan for the incentive program, a road map for IT initiatives and a vision for the state’s health IT future.

CMS said it will release further guidance about the incentive payments in a proposed rule by the end of the year.

Articles

In order to encourage providers to adopt EHR technology, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has informed state Medicaid directors that the federal government will reimburse states for 100 percent of incentive payments made to healthcare providers showing "meaningful use" of electronic health records.

CMS gives guidance on Medicaid incentive payments for EHRs

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has published 

 on its $598 million grant program to go towards 70 Health Information Technology Regional Extension Centers.

The centers, mandated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will help hospitals and physicians select, acquire and use electronic health records systems.

Preliminary applications for the first $189 million in funds were due Sept. 8, with awards to be made in mid-December. The second preliminary applications deadline for funds of $225 million is Dec. 22, and the third round of $184 million has a deadline of June 1, 2010.

In addition, ONC has revised the preliminary application template to include a transcript from a technical assistance conference call as well as an expanded FAQ section.

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has published more information on its $598 million grant program to go towards 70 Health Information Technology Regional Extension Centers.

ONC clarifies extension center grant program

 from the Group Health Cooperatives demonstrates that a medical home model in conjunction with health information technology could solve the nation’s primary care physician shortage.

, found that a “patient-centered medical home” gives patients more one-on-one time with the physician, improves caregiver cooperation and provides more preventative care.

According to the study, a sample of 9,200 patients from Group Health’s medical home was compared to a control group, which showed that after one year patient visits to an emergency room decreased by 29 percent, the rate of hospitalizations dropped by 11 percent and the medical home had 6 percent fewer in-person visits.

In addition, the use of e-mail and mobile phones allowed physicians in the medical home to provide better care to patients, including screening tests, management of chronic illness and monitoring of their medications.  Furthermore, the study states that these methods helped ease physician workload.

However, each doctor was responsible for more patients, resulting in the need to hire extra staff, including clinical pharmacists, physician assistants, medical assistants, registered nurses and primary doctors. The study shows these costs were recouped within the year.

A one-year evaluation study from the Group Health Cooperatives demonstrates that a medical home model in conjunction with health information technology could solve the nation's primary care physician shortage.

Study shows medical home model increases quality of care

The Medical Group Management Association is asking the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to hasten the reporting of electronic health record data for the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative P4P program, according to a 

The association agrees with CMS’s concerns over limitation of claims-based reporting of quality data, stating that “the claims processing system was not developed for the submission of quality data.”

Therefore, the MGMA urged CMS to “quickly finalize testing the PQRI reporting mechanism via EHRs and allow for 2010 PQRI participation through qualified EHRs.”

MGMA also recommended that Medicare offer multiple reporting mechanisms, including claims-based data, for several years to avoid negative consequences that could come with prematurely discontinuing PQRI participation in claims-based reporting.  The letter said that many practices are accustomed to participating in PQRI via claims-based reporting or have not yet invested in EHRs.

The Medical Group Management Association is asking the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to hasten the reporting of electronic health record data for the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative P4P program, according to a letter from the organization.

Author | Allison Tsai

Articles

CMS gives guidance on Medicaid incentive payments for EHRs

ONC clarifies extension center grant program

Study shows medical home model increases quality of care

MGMA calls for EHR data for PQRI