Approximately 56,585 professionals were awarded a total of $967 million in Medicare electronic health record incentive payments in 2011, representing about 9 percent of the estimated 600,172 professionals eligible for the program, according to data in the "Number and Characteristics of Providers Awarded Medicare Incentive Payments for 2011" report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Among professionals awarded a Medicare EHR incentive payment for 2011, the report found that southern medical professionals practicing specialty medicine in urban areas are more likely to be awarded incentive payments:
• About 32 percent of the medical professionals that received an EHR incentive payment were located in the South.
• Only 17 percent were located in the West.
• A significant majority — 89 percent — were in urban areas.
• Fifty percent were specialty practice physicians.
• About 38 percent were general practice physicians.
In addition, professionals with certain characteristics were more likely to have been awarded a Medicare EHR incentive payment for 2011.
• General practice physicians were 1.8 times more likely than specialty practice physicians to have been awarded an incentive payment.
• Professionals who had previously participated in CMS' electronic prescribing program were almost 4 times more likely to have been awarded an incentive payment than those who had not participated in the electronic prescribing program.
• Professionals who had signed an agreement to receive technical assistance from a Regional Extension Center were more than twice as likely to have been awarded an incentive payment.
• Professionals in the top third in terms of 2010 Medicare Part B charges or number of 2010 Medicare Part B encounters were more than 3 times more likely to have been awarded an incentive payment compared to those in the bottom third for charges or number of encounters.
More Articles on EHR Incentive Payments:
EHR Incentive Payments Reach $5.7B
CMS Releases Names of Medicare EHR Incentive Payment Recipients
Physician Registration for EHR Incentives Drops 12%
• About 32 percent of the medical professionals that received an EHR incentive payment were located in the South.
• Only 17 percent were located in the West.
• A significant majority — 89 percent — were in urban areas.
• Fifty percent were specialty practice physicians.
• About 38 percent were general practice physicians.
In addition, professionals with certain characteristics were more likely to have been awarded a Medicare EHR incentive payment for 2011.
• General practice physicians were 1.8 times more likely than specialty practice physicians to have been awarded an incentive payment.
• Professionals who had previously participated in CMS' electronic prescribing program were almost 4 times more likely to have been awarded an incentive payment than those who had not participated in the electronic prescribing program.
• Professionals who had signed an agreement to receive technical assistance from a Regional Extension Center were more than twice as likely to have been awarded an incentive payment.
• Professionals in the top third in terms of 2010 Medicare Part B charges or number of 2010 Medicare Part B encounters were more than 3 times more likely to have been awarded an incentive payment compared to those in the bottom third for charges or number of encounters.
More Articles on EHR Incentive Payments:
EHR Incentive Payments Reach $5.7B
CMS Releases Names of Medicare EHR Incentive Payment Recipients
Physician Registration for EHR Incentives Drops 12%