Four States (ND, HI, OH & MA) to Receive Federal Matching Funds for Electronic Health Record Incentives Program

In another key step to further states’ role in developing a robust U.S. health information technology (HIT) infrastructure, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today additional federal matching funds for certain state planning activities necessary to implement the electronic health record (EHR) incentive program established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act).

EHRs will improve the quality of health care for the citizens of these states and make their care more efficient. The records make it easier for the many providers who may be treating a Medicaid patient to coordinate care. Additionally, EHRs make it easier for patients to access the information they need to make decisions about their health care.

The releases highlight awards (totaling $6.91 million) of 90 percent federal matching funds for planning activities for the Recovery Act’s Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentives Programs.

This batch is part of a rolling announcement we began in November 2009. To date, including these new announcements, we will have awarded a total of $81.44 million to 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

North Dakota: $226,000
Hawaii: $836,000
Ohio: $2.29 million
Massachusetts: $3.56 million
Subtotal: $6.91 million
Total awards to date: $81.44 million

The Press Releases dated 9/13/10 are available at: https://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp.

Additional information on implementation of the Medicaid and Medicare related provisions of the Recovery Act’s EHR incentive payment programs may be found at: http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/