Meaningful Use: Final Guidance Released July 13, 2010

"For years, health policy leaders on both sides of the aisle have urged adoption of electronic health records throughout our health care system to improve quality of care and ultimately lower costs," Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said. "Today, with the leadership of the President and the Congress, we are making that goal a reality."

Established under the HITECH Act Under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009, eligible health care professionals and hospitals can qualify for Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments when they adopt certified EHR technology and use it to achieve specified objectives. One of the two regulations announced today defines the "Meaningful Use" objectives that providers must meet to qualify for the bonus payments, and the other regulation identifies the technical capabilities required for certified EHR technology.

With "Meaningful Use" definitions in place, AHIT will be working with primary care providers and their practices to ensure that the EHR system they acquire will support achievement of "meaningful use" objectives. With today's announcement, a concentrated five-year national initiative to adopt and use electronic records in health care can begin.

Within the next thirty days, AHIT will begin providing additional details through the website, webinars, and workshops about the new guidelines.

The Recovery Act authorizes CMS to provide reimbursement incentives for eligible professionals to become "meaningful users" of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology. The incentives range as high as $44,000 to $64,000 per provider over a five-year period, and will help to offset acquisition, implementation, and training expenses your practice will incur.

Demonstrating meaningful use will include attestation of implementation of a certified system, as well as specific reporting on health outcomes. Each state will determine how meaningful use will be confirmed and may require additional reporting. Florida Medicaid has indicated that Regional Extension Centers will be a key component of their strategy to reach providers throughout the state.

CHCA wishes to acknowledge support from the Office of the National Coordinator, Department of Health　and Human Services, Award #90RC0051/01.