

Physicians who predominantly practice at Federally Qualified Health Centers and other settings can qualify if 30 percent of their patient base is characterized as "needy," including those covered by Medicaid, those who receive uncompensated care and patients who are charged income-related, sliding-scale fees. A lower 20 percent threshold applies to pediatricians. Office-based physicians whose patient mix includes at least 30 percent Medicaid beneficiaries are eligible for up to $63,750 over six years, as long as they are able to demonstrate "meaningful use" of healthcare IT.

#Codekit index.hbs full#
Several providers have told me that an office needs about 7-8% of their patients to be Medicare beneficiaries to receive the full stimulus. A provider with $13.3k in allowable Medicare charges is eligible for only $10k in ARRA stimulus money. What does 75% of allowable Medicare charges really mean? A provider's office which has allowable Medicare charges totaling $24k or more can receive the full $18k in ARRA stimulus money. rural areas without sufficient Internet access). Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis for significant hardships (i.e. ARRA allows HHS to increase penalties beginning in 2019, but penalties cannot exceed -5%. Physicians who do not adopt/use a certified EHR will face reduction in their Medicare fee schedule of -1% in 2015, -2% in 2016, and -3% in 2017 and beyond. Incentive payments are reduced in subsequent years: $15,000, $12,000, $8,000, $4,000, and $2000.įor eligible professionals in a rural health professional shortage area, the incentive payment amounts are increased by 10 percent. Medicare incentive payments are capped at 75% of allowable Medicare charges, up to $18,000 for the first payment year. I was recently asked how specialists, such as pediatric surgeons with few Medicare or Medicaid patients, can participate in ARRA and implement EHRs with meaningful use.įirst, let's review how ARRA stimulus payments work:
