The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) interviewed Medicaid leaders in six states ( KS, MI, MO, OK, PA and VA) to learn how state Medicaid agencies and providers are responding to funding granted by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 earmarked for electronic health records (EHR).

From the report:

This brief summarizes insights from those interviews, which were conducted telephonically in December 2009 and January 2010. During this time period, states were just beginning to understand the potential implications of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed rules for an EHR incentive program, released on December 30, 2009. Through ARRA, CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for HIT (ONC) have created several significant funding opportunities to expand HIT/ health information exchange (HIE) capacity to improve quality throughout the health care delivery system. Many health care entities, including regional multi-payer alliances, regional extension centers (RECs), quality improvement organizations (QIOs), to-be-determined Beacon communities, health plans, provider organizations, medical societies, and other organizations, will be working with many of the same providers and practices, and must coordinate closely to be successful.

Full report: http://www.chcs.org/publications3960/publications_show.htm?doc_id=1148361

Center for Health Care Strategies. (2010). Electronic health record incentive programs for Medicaid providers.  Hasselman, D. & Berenson, J.