$2.7B in Medicaid Meaningful Use Pay Distributed in 2011

Eligible hospitals and health care professionals received a total of about  $2.7 billion in Medicaid meaningful use incentive payments last year, according to a report from the Government Accountability  Office, Politico‘s “Pulse” reports.

Under the 2009 federal economic stimulus package, health care providers who  demonstrate meaningful use of certified electronic health record systems can  qualify for Medicaid and Medicare incentive payments.

The report found that last year, about 39% of the hospitals and about 33% of  the health care professionals who were eligible for the Medicaid portion of the  meaningful use program in 2011 received incentive payments (Millman, “Pulse,” Politico, 12/14).

Findings About Hospitals

GAO found that 5,013 hospitals were eligible for the Medicaid portion of the  meaningful use program in 2011. Of those hospitals, 1,964 facilities received a  combined $1.7 billion in Medicaid EHR incentive payments last year.

The Medicaid incentive payments to hospitals ranged from $7,528 to $7.2  million, with a median payment of $613,512, according to the report.

Of the hospitals that received Medicaid incentive payments, the report found  that:

• 80% were acute care hospitals;
• 62% were located in urban areas;
• 57% were not members of a hospital chain;
• 57% were not-for-profit facilities; and
• The highest proportion — 46% — were located in the South, while the  smallest proportion — 15% — were located in the Northeast.

Findings About Eligible Professionals

The report found 139,600 health care professionals were eligible for the  Medicaid meaningful use incentive payments in 2011. Of those professionals,  45,962 received a combined $967 million in Medicaid EHR incentive payments last  year.

Of the professionals who received Medicaid incentive payments, the report  found that:

• 97% received the maximum payment of $21,250;
• 83% were located in urban areas;
• Nearly 75% were physicians, while 1% were physician assistants;
• 47% had signed agreements to receive technical assistance from a Regional  Extension Center; and
• The highest proportion — 37% — were located in the South and the smallest  proportion — 20% — were located in the Midwest (GAO report, 12/13).

Source: iHealthBeat

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