Latest Data on Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs

The latest numbers have been posted on the 'open data' HealthIT.Gov  web site about the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Program.

Take a look at the Health IT Dashboard developed and maintained by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC).  This 'Open Government' web site provides an overview of key performance measures, facts, figures, graphs, maps, and data tables that enable real-time monitoring of the status and impact related to federal health IT programs and the modernization of the U.S. health care system.

Some of the latest data you will find on the site include the following:

Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Records Incentive Program Payments as of May 2013

• More than 297,000 health care providers received payment for participating in the Medicare & Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs.
• More than $9.1 billion in Medicare EHR Incentive Program payments have been made to date since 2011.
• More than $5.6 billion in Medicaid EHR Incentive Program payments have been made since 2011.
• More than 399,000 eligible professionals, eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAH) are actively registered in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.

For more detailed data on payments by States, take a look at Payments by States by Program and EHR Registrations by Individual States.  The biggest recipients to date include California, Texas, and New York.  Recipients of the least amounts include Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota, and Wyoming.

It should be noted that all providers are eligible for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. However, only those professionals and hospitals that are: (1) eligible based on the regulation's eligibility requirements, (2) have attested to meaningfully using an EHR, (3) and have received a Medicare incentive payment - will be displayed on HealthIT.Gov

Also, while visiting the HealthIT.Gov web site, you might want to check out the links to the ONC Health IT Systems Certification Program and to helpful health IT information for Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) & Small Rural Hospitals.