WASHINGTON – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will grant Alaska, Kentucky, South Carolina and Wisconsin federal matching funds for EHR implementations.

The funding is allotted under The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The grants cosist of:

• $900,000 for Alaska;
• $2.6 million for Kentucky;
• $1.48 million for South Carolina; and
• $1.37 million for Wisconsin

According to CMS officials, matching state funding for EHR adoption is “another key step to further states’ role in developing a robust U.S. health information technology infrastructure.”

CMS officials said EHRs will improve the quality of healthcare for citizens. The records make it easier for the many providers who may be treating a Medicaid patient to coordinate care. Additionally, EHRs make it easier for patients to access the information they need to make decisions about their healthcare.

ARRA provides a 90 percent federal match for state planning activities to administer incentive payments to Medicaid providers.

“Meaningful and interoperable use of EHRs in Medicaid will increase health care efficiency, reduce medical errors and improve quality-outcomes and patient satisfaction within and across the states,” said Cindy Mann, director of the Center for Medicaid and State Operations at CMS.

CMS officials said the four states plan to use the funding to analyze their healthcare IT activities. They will assess barriers to the state’s use of EHRs and determine provider eligibility for EHR incentive payments. Each state will also create a state Medicaid HIT Plan, which will define the state’s vision for its long-term HIT use.

CMS announced on Jan. 4 that Pennsylvania and Tennessee will also receive similar funding.

Above article publish on http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/cms-match-ehr-funding-four-states

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Iowa will receive $1.6 million in matching funds.

“While Iowa is the first state to receive approval of its plan for implementing the Recovery Act’s EHR incentive program, a number of other states have submitted plans as well,” said Cindy Mann, director of the Center for Medicaid and State Operations at CMS.

Iowa will, according to CMS, use the funds for planning activities such as conducting an analysis to determine the status of health IT in the state, including barriers to EHR implementation, eligibility for EHR incentive payments and the creation of a state Medicaid health information technology plan.

Above article published http://www.healthimaging.com/index.php?option=com_articles&view=article&id=19710:iowa-gets-16-in-arra-funds-for-ehr-planning

By Mitch Wagner, InformationWeek

Senator John Kerry introduced a bill designed to help family doctors fund conversion to electronic health records.

Kerry, D-Mass., a senior member of the Finance Committee, introduced the Small Business Health Information Technology Financing Act of 2009 Tuesday. It would make family doctors and other small medical practices eligible for Small Business Administration loans to cover the cost of health information technology to create electronic health records and prescriptions.

“Electronic medical records and prescriptions are the common sense solution to restricting costs, reducing errors, and reforming a broken system. Doctors don’t need convincing — they’ve seen the results,” Kerry said in a statement. “This legislation helps small practices acquire the technology that will allow them to be more efficient and to focus on patient care.”

Loans would cover the cost of hardware, software, and other technology, Kerry’s office said.

A similar bill was introduced in the House of Representatives in June by Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, D-Pa.

Kerry introduced the Medicare Electronic Medication and Safety Protection (E-MEDS) Act of 2007 to require physicians to use e-prescriptions. The provision passed into law last year as part of the Medicare bill.

Currently, one-third of written prescriptions require follow-up clarification, and medication mistakes cause 7,000 deaths and 1.5 million injuries per year, according to Kerry’s office, citing a study from the Institute of Medicine.

EHRs are a major component of U.S. health and economic policy; the U.S. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 set aside $20 billion in February to convert American healthcare practices to e-health records.

Above article published http://www.informationweek.com/news/healthcare/EMR/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=221700080

Blumenthal testified before the House Small Business Regulations and Healthcare Subcommittee along with pediatricians, optometrists and other health care providers concerned about being left out of federal health IT incentive programs.

Under the stimulus package, beginning in 2011, physicians who demonstrate “meaningful use” of electronic health records could qualify for up to $44,000 in Medicare incentive payments. In 2015, the government will enact penalties for health care providers who have failed to demonstrate meaningful use.

About 21% of physicians currently use EHRs, but only 13% of small practices use the technology, CongressDaily reports.

Government To Aid Small Practices

Blumenthal said that Congress has created grant programs to establish regional extension centers that would help health care providers implement EHRs. He added that such extension centers would prioritize small physician practices and those providing primary care.

In addition, Blumenthal said HHS would establish listening sessions across the country to allow small practices to voice their concerns about the stimulus provisions.

Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Pa.), chair of the subcommittee, said she introduced a bill in conjunction with the hearing that would establish a Small Business Association loan program aimed at health care providers who want to invest in health IT systems. She said such systems often cost $32,000 per physician (Noyes, Congress Daily, 6/25).

Study Says Many Small Practices Lack EHR Resources

Although small physician practices provide nearly 75% of the country’s ambulatory care, many of those practices lack sufficient resources to implement EHRs or improve their quality of care, according to a report released Wednesday by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, HealthLeaders Media reports.

The report, titled “Supporting Small Practices: Lessons for Health Reform,” notes that small physician groups need significant support to adapt to the needs of a diversifying patient population.

The authors recommend boosting the capacity of small practices by:

• Improving staff training and development;
• Promoting networking opportunities;
• Providing educational materials, templates and tools; and
• Sharing staff and services (Commins, HealthLeaders Media, 6/24).

Above article published on

http://www.ihealthbeat.org/Articles/2009/6/25/Blumenthal-Pledges-EHR-Support-for-Small-Physician-Practices.aspx