Providers gleaned new insights into how they will receive subsidy payments for the purchase and use of health information technology as the CMS issued supplementary guidelines to earlier rules on the administration of the Medicaid portion of the federal electronic health-record program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
In a
19-page letter to state Medicaid directors, the CMS spelled out what it deems to be "guidance" to the states running Medicaid EHR subsidy programs. The federal government will reimburse states for 100% of their expenditures for provider IT incentive payments and 90% of state administrative costs for the program.
The letter encourages states to move forward soon, as "timely initiation of their Medicaid EHR incentive programs (i.e., as soon as possible in 2011) is important."
Reimbursable state administrative expenses include:
- Developing interfaces with a national-level data repository as well as state and local health information exchanges.
- Creation or enhancement of a data warehouse/repository.
- Development of a master patient index.
- Provider outreach activities, such as workshops, meetings and webinars.
- Setting up and staffing a website, help line or call center.
The letter also asks states to submit target dates for when their Medicaid IT subsidy programs will be operational. Among the key indicators that a state is ready to launch its program are announcements that the state will be capable within three months of accepting provider attestations that the providers themselves have met program eligibility requirements and that the state will be capable within five months of making provider incentive payments.
