U.S. Pays $158 Million to Doctors to Adopt Digital Records
The U.S. government has paid more than $158.3 million to hospitals and doctors this year to encourage adoption of electronic health records, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said today.
The government this year began distributing incentive payments to health-care providers that meet federal standards for use of digital health records. Providers can receive up to $63,750 during six years through the Medicaid program and up to $44,000 during five years from the Medicare program.
Among the providers of electronic health records are General Electric Co. (GE), Siemens AG (SI), Cerner Corp. (CERN), Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. (MDRX) and closely held Epic Systems Corp.
President Barack Obama has advocated electronic records as a way to lower health-care costs and reduce medical errors. The Obama administration aims to have half of Americans using a digital health record by 2014 and began distributing what may total $31.3 billion in incentive payments.
The federal government plans to reduce Medicare reimbursements to physicians who fail to make the transition by 2015 or later.
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To contact the reporter on this story: Eric Engleman in Washington at eengleman1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Allan Holmes at aholmes25@bloomberg.net
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