Incentive PackagesWhat is the incentive package? In early 2009 the Congress passed the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009(www.recovery.gov). As part of this package, there was a specific program for promoting and stimulated technology needs in Healthcare. The specific section of the law is: Title XIII –Promotion of Healthcare IT (pg. 112). The program is called the HITECH Act (“health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act”). Some of the specifics are:
- Creation of the Office of the National Coordinator: Develop, plan and promote HIT adoption
- Creation of the HIT Policy Committee: Make recommendations on HIT infrastructure
- Implement the ONC strategic plan: HIT Standards Committee
- Grants and Programs: Creation of Health IT Research and Regional Centers
- Provide technical assistance and develop best practices to help accelerate EHR adoption
- Facilitate and expand electronic movement and use of EHR technology among organizations
- Develop academic curriculum that integrates EHR into education
- Investigate how use of electronic data impacts care and treatments.
What does this mean for doctors?
- $30 billion in incentives for meaningful use of certified EHR technology.
- Medicare: $44k per doctor; Medicaid: $64k per doctor?
- Incentive money is per doctor; not per practice.
- Incentive money goes directly to the doctor; there is no aggregator
What if a doctor does not implement EMR/HER?
There are penalties: Beginning in 2015, physicians not demonstrating meaningful use of EHR technology will have their Medicare fee schedule reduced:
- 2015: -1%
- 2016: -2%
- 2017 and beyond: -3%
Who is elegible?
- Doctors of medicine
- Doctors of osteopathy
- Doctors of dental surgery
- Doctors of dental medicine
- Doctors of podiatric medicine
- Doctors of optometry
- Chiropractors
Why EMR?> EMR
> PM
