Medicaid EHR Incentive Program Funds Now Flowing - January 12, 2011

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have reported that hospitals are already beginning to receive Medicaid electronic health records (EHR) incentive payments. On Jan. 3, University of Kentucky Healthcare received an incentive payment of $2.86 million, representing one-third of the hospital’s anticipated amount for participation in the EHR incentive program. Oklahoma also reportedly began disbursing payments to physicians. The Medicaid EHR incentive program is now open for providers in the states that have already received approval from CMS to launch their incentive programs: Alaska, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Registration for the Medicaid EHR incentive program will open in California, Missouri and North Dakota in February, and other states will follow later this year.