CMS Awards Medicaid HIT Planning Funds to First State - December 8, 2009

CMS has awarded Iowa’s Medicaid program $1.16 million in federal recovery act funding to undertake planning activities for implementation of HIT incentive payments in the state. ARRA provides a 90% federal administrative match to states for CMS-approved activities to prepare to administer and audit the incentive payments and promote interoperability and meaningful use of electronic health records (EHR). Iowa will use the funds to analyze the current status of HIT activities in the state, including existing barriers to use of EHR and expected levels of provider eligibility for incentive payments. CMS is currently reviewing similar plans from other states.