HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently announced that more than half of all eligible providers have been paid under the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. More than 50 percent of all eligible professionals and more than 80 percent of all eligible hospitals have received payment.
"We have reached a tipping point in the adoption of electronic health records," said Secretary Sebelius. "More than half of eligible professionals and 80 percent of eligible hospitals have adopted these systems, which are critical to modernizing our health care system. Health IT helps providers better coordinate care, which can improve patients' health and save money at the same time."
As of the end of April 2013:
- More than 291,000 eligible professionals and more than 3,800 eligible hospitals have been paid by the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.
- Approximately 80 percent of all eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals in the U.S. have received an incentive payment for adopting, implementing, upgrading, or demonstrating meaningful use of an EHR.
- More than half of all Medicare and Medicaid-eligible professionals in the U.S. have received an incentive payment for adopting, implementing, upgrading, or demonstrating meaningful use of an EHR.
Also, more than $14.6 billion in EHR Incentive Program payments has been made as of the end of April 2013. CMS encourages any eligible providers who have not yet participated and received payment under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs to get started today.