The Stimulus Bill is a golden opportunity for physicians to get paid to realize the full benefits of a modern EHR system. The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act was signed into law on February 17, 2009. The health IT component of the Bill, the HITECH Act, appropriates $19.2 billion dollars to encourage the adoption of electronic health records. The Stimulus Bill should help provide most physicians in the United States with an electronic health record system at ZERO net cost to the physician. For some, the incentive payment is enough to cover the cost of a top-of- the line EHR system while producing a “surplus” of $20,000 - $55,000. The opportunity presented by the bill to the American Physician is substantial.

Basically, the bill provides that qualified physicians who utilize a certified electronic health record in a “meaningful” way will receive incentive payments through additional reimbursements via either Medicare or Medicaid, depending upon the individual physician’s payer mix.

Starting in 2011, “meaningful” EHR users can earn $44,000 under the Medicare plan and $64,000 under the Medicaid plan over 5 years.

• Early adopters benefits most as about 70% of the payments comes in the first two years.
• Those engaged in PQRI and electronic prescribing can earn an additional $6,000 - $8,000 per year beginning immediately.
• Physicians that do not adopt an EHR by 2015 will be penalized though % decreases in Medicare reimbursements rates.