CMS as of the end of November 2013 had disbursed more than $17.7 billion in incentive payments to eligible hospitals and medical professionals participating in the meaningful use program, Government Health IT 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.
Details of Payments
At a Health IT Policy Committee meeting, CMS announced that more than 436,000 eligible hospitals and professionals had registered for the Medicaid and Medicare EHR incentive programs as the end of November 2013.
Of the $17.7 billion CMS has disbursed:
- $11 billion went to more than 4,300 hospitals that have achieved meaningful use;
- $4 billion went to about 210,000 eligible professionals qualifying under Medicare; and
- $2.5 billion went to 107,000 eligible professionals qualifying under Medicaid.
During the meeting, Paul Tang — chair of the Policy Committee and chief innovation and technology officer at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation — said the data show an “inexorable progress made every month” as a majority of U.S. providers now use EHR systems (Brino, Government Health IT, 1/14). Source
