Website created for electronic health records incentive programs

To help healthcare providers navigate through the language of HIT requirements in order to qualify for EHR incentive payments, CMS has launched its official, informational Web site for the Medicare and Medicaid Incentive Programs ( http://www.cms.gov/EHRincentiveprograms/) scheduled to begin in 2011.

The incentive programs will provide payments to eligible healthcare providers and hospitals as they "adopt, implement, upgrade, or demonstrate" meaningful use of certified EHR technology. The programs are designed to support providers through the HIT transition and instill meaningful use of EHRs.

The Web site offers all the detailed, current information a provider needs to know about the incentive programs, along with clarification of the terms that appear in provisions of HITECH. Users can download fact sheets on proposed program requirements and the proposed definition of meaningful use.