The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ARRA ACT and my practice?
With government assistance you will have the opportunity to automate your practice with an electronic medical record EMR system and receive financial incentives for using it under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health HITECH provisions of the ARRA legislation.

What is a Certified EMR?
In the HITECH-provision of the ARRA, a Certified EMR is technology that follows specific standards. The Certification Commission on Health Information Technology CCHIT standards should be the guideline for requirements.

What is Meaningful use?
The four criteria apply a product to comply with standards of Meaningful EMR Use: A. The EMR in use must be: i. certified; and ii. include electronic prescribing; B. Connected in a matter that provides for the exchange of electronic health information, according with applicable  law and standards, to improve the quality of health care, such as promotion health coordination.; must C. capable of submit information on clinical quality [and other] measures.

What is a Meaningful user?
A Meaningful User is someone that can perform the functionality of electronic prescribing, data sharing, and clinical quality reporting.

How much funding is available through the HITECH provisions?
Currently over $50B in funding available for the building an HIT infrastructure. Approximately $37B of Medicare and Medicaid incentives (pay-for-reporting/performance), $13B in grant opportunities through federal and state agencies.

When a concept of a Certified EMR become final?
The Office of the National Coordinator ONC has stated that a certification plan should be place by September 1 with final plan by the end of 2009. HIT Policy Committee recommended a meaningful use requirements to Health and Human Services HHS. This plan is now under federal rule making review for comment by January 1, 2010. Final regulations will not be until April 1, 2010 although the present criteria should be considered almost the final product.

What is start date for the Medicare and Medicaid incentives.
Hospitals, Medicare incentives late in 2010 and physicians incentives as of January 2011. Medicaid incentives in 2010. Federal and state grants issued to medical providers have been awarded and will continue to be awarded over the next several months. HRSA has released grant opportunities for eligible CHCs on July 2.

Medicare and from Medicaid Incentives?
See details of the two programs.

Can we apply for incentive funding from both Medicare and Medicaid if we meet the criteria requirements?
No. Users can apply for funding from either Medicare or Medicaid, but not both.

Should our practice wait before I looking for a certified EMR?
You should begin your search for and implement a certified EMR NOW!!, without delay. Waiting in this process may increase the risk that your practice will not be eligible to demonstrate effective Meaningful Use of your EMR system, and will result, in not be ready when the incentive period starts in 2011. MedStar Solutions can help you narrow your focus to quantify your IT solutions now.

Stay informed about the changes in stimulus bill, sign up for any Stimulus webinars. You should also ask what your hospital or local medical community association and state will are providing in education and guidance.

I already have implemented an EMR system. Do I apply for incentives?
The HITECH provisions presently do not distinguish between EMR systems installed before, or after, the February 19, 2009. If your EMR system meets the definition of Meaningful Use, and you can become a meaningful user with that software, you practice should be eligible for the governmental incentives.

How long do I have to collect data before being eligible to apply for government incentives?
It has not been determined as of yet, but it is recommend to collect data for six to nine months before you apply for incentives with continued data collection.

I am affiliated with a health enterprise, but work for a small practice. Will I receive incentives through both?
Its not fully defined, but unlikely that a smaller provider practice with a larger affiliated partner can receive monies from both.

What will happen to a practice not using a certified EMR and reporting data?
Practices not using and reporting with a certified EMR will have their Medicare fee schedule reduced by 1% in 2015, 2% in 2016 and 3% in 2017. Medicaid has no planned penalties.