Government Incentives for EMR Adoption
On February 17, 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was signed into law, committing $19.2 billion to healthcare information technology (HIT) to promote the use of HIT for all providers of healthcare. $17.2 billion will be distributed in incentive payments to eligible healthcare professionals for electronic medical records adoption. ARRA offers up to $44,000 per provider for EMR adoption.
What does this mean, exactly?
It means that starting in 2011 and continuing through 2014, providers using a certified EMR will be eligible for substantial government cash incentives. Study the chart below to see how the government incentives will be allocated.
Is MedLedger ARRA-certified?
Our intention is to be certified in the shortest possible time frame once the certification bodies are organized and accredited by HHS. Until this occurs, no vendor is certified.
What is the difference between an ARRA-certified EMR and a CCHIT-certified EMR?
Good question! The simple answer is, ARRA-certified EMRs meet all the standards required by the government for providers to be eligible to receive their incentive money. CCHIT-certified EMRs may also meet all the standards, but are generally much more sophisticated, geared toward large medical networks (i.e. hospitals) and are more expensive.
How Are the Government Incentives Going to be Paid?
| IF ADOPTED BY: | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| Year 1 | $18,000 | ||||
| Year 2 | $12,000 | $18,000 | |||
| Year 3 | $8,000 | $12,000 | $15,000 | ||
| Year 4 | $4,000 | $8,000 | $12,000 | $12,000 | |
| Year 5 | $2,000 | $4,000 | $8,000 | $8,000 | |
| Year 6 | $0 | $2,000 | $4,000 | $4,000 | |
| TOTAL: | $44,000 | $44,000 | $39,000 | $24,000 | $0 |
Learn more about MedLedger's EMR.