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Many of the specifics of the HITECH Act, including the terms “meaningful Use” and “certified” have not yet been defined.
- The two incentive programs outlined under the HITECH Act involve Medicare and Medicaid providers. Providers can only qualify for one incentive program, so each practice must analyze its own payer mix.
- Since each state manages its own Medicaid program, while Medicare is managed on a federal level by the Department of Health and Human Services, Medicare provisions are the most straightforward.
In order to qualify for the Medicare Incentive, physicians must:
- Use a “certified” EMR
- Demonstrate “meaningful use” of an EMR, including ePrescribing, electronically exchanging information and submitting clinical quality measures.
Those physicians with Medicare patients who meet the requirements for “meaningful use” of a “certified” EMR in 2011, are eligible for a payment of $18,000. Payments for future years up to 2015 will total $44,000.