During Wednesday's Health IT Policy Committee meeting, a CMS official delivered a presentation showing that Medicare and Medicaid each have distributed nearly $1 billion in incentive payments during the first year of the meaningful use program, Health Data Management reports.
Under the 2009 federal economic stimulus package, health care providers who demonstrate meaningful use of certified electronic health record systems can qualify for Medicaid and Medicare incentive payments.
During the presentation, Robert Anthony -- a health insurance specialist in CMS' Office of E-Health Standards and Service -- noted that:
- Medicare has distributed about $920.3 million in EHR incentive payments; and
- Medicaid has distributed about $916 million in EHR incentive payments.
According to Anthony, Medicare has given payments to:
- 10,155 eligible health care providers;
- 377 hospitals participating in both the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs; and
- 34 hospitals participating only in the Medicare EHR incentive program.
He added that Medicaid had given payments to:
- 11,270 eligible health care providers; and
- 800 hospitals participating either in both EHR incentive programs or only in the Medicaid incentive program.
Anthony noted that eligible health care providers have until Feb. 29, 2012 to attest to meaningful use for 2011. He added that officials expect to "see a real influx" of health care providers attesting to meaningful use before the deadline (Goedert, Health Data Management, 12/7).