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oneround:
Electronic medical records: Extra payments designed to get more doctors on board
Enhanced reimbursements for health records systems part of federal stimulus bill
January 7, 2010

By Bruce Japsen


Doctors soon may have fewer excuses for not getting their offices equipped with electronic medical records.

Beginning next year, physicians will be eligible for extra payments from federal health insurance programs upon implementing an electronic medical record system. The enhanced reimbursements were made possible by the federal stimulus bill signed into law last year by President Barack Obama.

In the meantime, private firms are beginning to offer incentives to help doctors finance their electronic health record systems, which can cost several thousand dollars even for a small practice.

Minneapolis-based health insurance giant UnitedHealth Group told the Tribune this week that it will offer interest-free loans to small doctor practices that adopt Ingenix CareTracker, a Web-based medical record system. Chicago-based Allscripts- Misys Healthcare Solutions Inc. said it is offering a six-month, no-payment program for qualifying purchasers of its electronic health records software.

Under terms of the federal legislation, physicians can receive more than $40,000 in Medicare payments over five years beginning in 2011 for implementing an electronic health record system. The Obama administration last week announced it was seeking public comment on new regulations officials say "lay a foundation for improving quality, efficiency and safety through meaningful use of certified electronic health record technology."

Obama officials and consumer groups say electronic medical record systems are critical to eliminating paperwork, reducing costs and creating a more efficient health care delivery system. Doctor groups have said one of the obstacles slowing the implementation of electronic records has been cost.

Though 3 out of 4 Americans receive their medical care from doctors in small practices, less than 15 percent of the physician groups are using an electronic record system, according to a 2008 New England Journal of Medicine article.

UnitedHealth said its CareTracker systems can cost less than $7,000 per doctor per year.

UnitedHealth is "helping physicians overcome the challenge of funding their upfront investment -- the biggest barrier to implementing health information technology," said Bill Miller, executive vice president of health care delivery for Ingenix, the firm's health information technology subsidiary.

DMK:
$7000 per doctor PER YEAR???!!!!!  With all of the reimbursement reductions and NCCI edits how are we supposed to come up with that amount without cramming in more patients in less time and still provide good care?

Michele:
I agree, pricing of some of these software applications is out of control.

Michele

PMRNC:
What I would like to know as I've not found anything on this issue is what are they going to do about privacy, there are going to be many patients who just simply don't want their records in an electronic exchange.. I will be one of them. I don't trust our govt as far as I can throw them, I don't want my records out there in any way, shape or form. Same goes for my information going offshore for billing or any other purpose, a provider will NOT get my permission for that. If I wanted a Pakistani to see my medical records, I'd go over there for treatment.

Michele:
I recently heard (but haven't read anything yet) that there is legislation that will prevent PHI from going out of the country which would snuff out the off shore companies.  Have you heard this?  -  Although again, we are trusting the government!

Michele

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