Don't wait until 2011

To avoid costly reductions in reimbursements, you must be in line with the meaningful use standards provided by the CCHIT before 2015. However, in order to qualify for the maximum available reimbursement by the federal government you have to have an EMR in place by the start of 2011, as well as show meaningful use by that time. Which means the earlier you have your system in place, the greater the chance of you showing meaningful use by 2011.

For the latest updates and developments in the nationwide EHR program, follow our Stimulus Watch timeline.

  • 2021: Last payment year in Medicaid EHR incentive program.
  • 2016: Last year providers are able to initiate Medicaid EHR incentive program.
  • 2016: Last payment year in Medicare EHR incentive program.
  • 2015+ : Initiate payment reductions (up to 3%) to Medicare hospitals and eligible professionals that fail to adopt EHR’s.
  • 2015: Meaningful use stage 3 objectives will potentially be in effect .
  • 2013: Meaningful use stage 2 objectives will potentially be in effect.
  • 2012-2014: Providers are allowed to change their program selection once during this payment period.
  • 2011: Meaningful use stage 1 objectives will be in effect.
  • 01/31/2011: First stimulus payments for qualified Meaninful Use practices are due. Being a front loaded program, these payments will be the largest of the series.
  • 01/01/2011: Payment begins to eligible professionals for Medicare and monitor payments.
  • 10/01/2010: Earliest date that Medicaid providers can start receiving payments.
  • 10/01/2010: Earliest date that Medicare is able to start paying eligible hospitals for early adoption of EHR’s.
  • 04/13/2010: CureMD EHR Version 10 receives the CCHIT 2011 certification, making it one of the select few to provide gueranteed Meaningful Use compliance.
  • 01/13/2010: EHR Incentive protocols published and finalized.
  • 12/31/2009: Specifics of the HITECH Act, including "meaningful use" and "certification" criteria released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
  • 08/24/2009: Health IT Policy Committe Reviewed Meaningful Use Definition and set Future Plans for submission of such plans to the Center for Medicare Services.
  • 08/20/2009: Health IT Standards Committee set new recommendations for 2001 quality measures and finalized their report to the center for medicare services on the privacy policy for EHR's.
  • 08/16/2009: Federal Trade Commission promulgates interim final regulations on privacy requirements for vendors of personal health records and other non-HIPAA covered entities.
  • 08/14/2009: Health IT Policy Committee releases information on grant submission and reimbursement criteria for physicians.
  • 07/06/2009: Studies show electronic medical records, or EMRs, can greatly improve the quality of patient care and reduce errors.
  • 06/16/2009: Preliminary guidelines realeased for meaningful use criteria.
  • 02/17/2009: Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act signed into law by President Obama (as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009).