Marilyn Tavenner, the acting administrator of CMS, and Farzad Mostashari, the national coordinator for health information technology with the ONC, urge States and HIT partners to join them in a push for higher adoption and use of health IT, according to a CMS Blog report.
According to the report, Ms. Tavenner and Mr. Mostashari, with the CMS and ONC, have set a 2012 goal of 100,000 healthcare providers paid under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program. They believe working together is the key to reaching the goal.
Significant progress so far is an indicator that the goal of 100,000 providers is feasible, according to the report. Over $2 billion in Medicare EHR Incentive Program payments were made between May 2011 and February 2012. Over $738 million was paid in February 2012 alone.
Ms. Tavenner and Mr. Mostashari also point to states that have collaborated with local stakeholder organizations, state Medicaid programs and CMS regional offices to set ambitious goals for EHR adoption, as examples. State goals include:
• Ohio has set a goal of having 10,000 providers receive EHR incentive payments in 2012, representing nearly 40 percent of all eligible professional and eligible hospitals in the state.
• Washington State aims to have more than 7,000 providers receive EHR Incentive payments this year representing about 40 percent of the state’s eligible professionals and eligible hospitals.
• California has set goals of 10,000 eligible providers receiving Medicaid payments and $500 million in incentive payments coming to the state by June.
• New York State has set an initial target of over 6,000 eligible providers receiving incentive payments in calendar year 2012.
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According to the report, Ms. Tavenner and Mr. Mostashari, with the CMS and ONC, have set a 2012 goal of 100,000 healthcare providers paid under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program. They believe working together is the key to reaching the goal.
Significant progress so far is an indicator that the goal of 100,000 providers is feasible, according to the report. Over $2 billion in Medicare EHR Incentive Program payments were made between May 2011 and February 2012. Over $738 million was paid in February 2012 alone.
Ms. Tavenner and Mr. Mostashari also point to states that have collaborated with local stakeholder organizations, state Medicaid programs and CMS regional offices to set ambitious goals for EHR adoption, as examples. State goals include:
• Ohio has set a goal of having 10,000 providers receive EHR incentive payments in 2012, representing nearly 40 percent of all eligible professional and eligible hospitals in the state.
• Washington State aims to have more than 7,000 providers receive EHR Incentive payments this year representing about 40 percent of the state’s eligible professionals and eligible hospitals.
• California has set goals of 10,000 eligible providers receiving Medicaid payments and $500 million in incentive payments coming to the state by June.
• New York State has set an initial target of over 6,000 eligible providers receiving incentive payments in calendar year 2012.
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