This week, the Senate passed a jobs bill (HR 4213) that includes a provision designed to make it easier for certain hospital-based physicians to receive incentive payments for the "meaningful use" of electronic health records, Health Data Management reports (Goedert, Health Data Management, 3/11).
Currently, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 excludes all hospital-based physicians from eligibility for the EHR incentive payments.
Section 219 of the Senate jobs bill would amend language in ARRA to exclude only those hospital-based physicians that provide services in a hospital inpatient or emergency department setting.
The change would permit hospital-based physicians who provide services at hospital outpatient facilities to receive the incentive payments (Kraynak, HealthLeaders Media, 3/12).
Other Jobs Bill Details
The Senate jobs bill also would:
- Avert cuts in Medicare physician reimbursements;
- Extend subsidies for COBRA coverage; and
- Offer additional federal funds for state Medicaid programs.
The legislation now heads to the House. Lawmakers will determine whether to reconcile the bill with the House version or simply vote on the measure with the Senate's changes (Lubell,
Modern Healthcare, 3/10).