Blog Layout

3 THINGS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE HITECH ACT

Derek Seymour • Sep 03, 2019

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed into law on February 17th, 2009. Included in this bill is a section titled the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, or HITECH for short. This law allocates $18 billion as incentives through Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement systems, providing grants and revolving loan funds to hospitals and physicians considered meaningful users of electronic health records.

These grants and loan funds may be used to purchase EHRs and new healthcare technology. If you’re a small to medium sized healthcare practice in need of a consultation regarding HITECH Act compliance, then look no further. EHR1 has a compliance department that will assist you with matters such as this. Listed are three things both eligible and ineligible providers should be aware of when demonstrating meaningful use of EHR systems, thereby improving health care throughout the country.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ISSUES “FINAL RULES”

The Department of Health and Human Services issued three final rules for the implementation of the requirements of the HITECH Act. The new rules stipulate that those who qualify for the incentive program can receive as much as $44,000 in grants and other incentives over a five-year term through Medicare. Furthermore, up to $63,750 over 6 years through Medicaid. Hospitals can earn millions of dollars in grants and revolving loans for implementing and becoming meaningful users of certified electronic health records. The third rule establishes objectives for what is considered ‘meaningful use,’ also providing metrics eligible applicants must meet in order to reap all of the benefits of the EHR incentive program.

EHR TECHNOLOGY STIPULATIONS

In order to be compliant with the HITECH Act, another stipulation addressed in The Department of Health and Human Services final rules was the Temporary Certification Program for Health Information Technology. This certification program establishes a process for businesses and professionals to test and certify for using EHR technology. If you want to take advantage of all the benefits this program has to offer, then you must certify first.

MEDICAID AND MEDICARE INCENTIVE PAYMENTS ESTIMATED TO RISE

Experts estimate that over the next ten years, the Federal government will spend over $26 billion in grants to medical professionals and hospitals implementing the standards set forth in the HITECH Act.

If you are a small to midsize healthcare practice looking to save money and benefit from the outstanding economic benefits the HITECH Act’s financial EHR implementation incentives provide, contact EHR1 today for a certified EHR and expert consulting.


CLICK HERE TO CONTACT US TODAY!

By Derek Seymour 07 Apr, 2020
Health information technology has brought enormous benefits to small and medium sized practices, and has made administrative tasks a lot easier for healthcare staff. Medical practices […] The post 3 MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN CHOOSING EHR SOFTWARE appeared first on EHR.
By Derek Seymour 02 Apr, 2020
Becoming an early adopter of dental health IT, such as CEREC (Chair-side Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) systems and intraoral cameras can help improve a dental […] The post BENEFITS OF CEREC SYSTEMS AND INTRAORAL CAMERAS IN YOUR PRACTICE appeared first on EHR.
By Derek Seymour 31 Mar, 2020
Running a dental practice is a difficult task. Even if you provide the highest quality oral healthcare, you may get so caught up in the day-to-day […] The post 4 HELPFUL TIPS FOR DENTISTS appeared first on EHR.
By Derek Seymour 26 Mar, 2020
It’s important to make sure that you’re using the most up-to-date technology when you create dentures for the patients at your improving dental practice. Your patients […] The post THE TECHNOLOGY USED TO CREATE DENTURES IS IMPROVING appeared first on EHR.
By Derek Seymour 24 Mar, 2020
The transition from paper charts to an electronic health records system or EHR has transformed the healthcare industry only for the better. The more health facilities—both […] The post HOW ARE EHR SYSTEMS BENEFICIAL TO BOTH PATIENTS AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS? appeared first on EHR.
By Derek Seymour 19 Mar, 2020
Acquiring a new EHR system means investing a significant amount in software and resources. Therefore, as a healthcare provider, you need to get an accurate estimate […] The post 4 FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE TOTAL COSTS OF IMPLEMENTING EHR appeared first on EHR.
By Derek Seymour 17 Mar, 2020
The path to improving your dental practice presents multiple business and professional challenges. You will be faced with big decisions on budgets, and confusing choices on […] The post ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS FOR DENTISTS TO ASK BEFORE INVESTING IN NEW TECHNOLOGY appeared first on EHR.
By Derek Seymour 12 Mar, 2020
FOR DOCTORS AND THEIR BUSINESS ASSOCIATES Late nights, early mornings, long hours – we do everything we can to preserve the health of our patients. With […] The post ARE YOU DOING ALL YOU CAN TO PROTECT YOUR PATIENTS? appeared first on EHR.
By Derek Seymour 10 Mar, 2020
Electronic health records, or EHR, allow physicians and medical offices to digitally store patient medical charts. There are many reasons why you should use EHR in […] The post WHY YOUR PRACTICE NEEDS EHR SOFTWARE appeared first on EHR.
By Derek Seymour 05 Mar, 2020
If you run a dental practice, keeping your computer systems secure at all times is essential. Due to the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber-threats, it’s […] The post CYBER-SECURITY IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR DENTAL PRACTICE appeared first on EHR.
More Posts
Share by: