HIT Incentive Payment Program: Definition of 'Meaningful Use'

On December 30, 2009, in accordance with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act \(ARRA\), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services \(CMS\) released a proposed rule on Medicare and Medicaid payment incentives for ")meaningful users") of electronic health records \(EHRs\). The rule, whichdescribes how hospitals and physicians can qualify for payments starting in fiscal year \(FY\) 2011, sets rigid standards and unrealistic time frames for EHR adoption. The AHA believes that the eligibility requirements for hospitals and physicians to receive incentive payments are too restrictive.