Panel releases details on $20B in health IT spending

We're finally starting to get a sneak peak at the proposed incentive package promised by the new administration. There certainly appears to be a big push to get physicians and health care facilities on board with electronic health records. Below is a great article from Alice Lipowicz on the Federal Computer Week website.
- - - -

The House Ways and Means Committee is calling for $20 billion in spending to encourage the adoption of health information technology, including payments of as much as $65,000 to physicians who can demonstrate that they are using electronic data. The committee's chairman, Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), released details Jan 16 of the Health IT for Economic and Clinical Health Act, which is to be included in an economic stimulus package.

The bill seeks to advance the use of health IT, including electronic health records, Rangel said in a news release. The measure would spend $20 billion on incentives to encourage doctors and hospitals to use health IT, the news release states. The incentives include payments of $40,000 to $65,000 to doctors who can show they are "meaningfully utilizing health IT, such as through the reporting of quality measures," the release states. READ MORE >>>