*** FEATURED  THIS  MONTH ***
*COMPLETE COMPUTER REFURB $199  (CLICK HERE)

*ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD CONVERSION (& QUALIFCATION FOR $63, 0000 FEDERAL INCENTIVE: click here)

Converting to EMR and EHR s is now essential because Converting to EHR s and EMRs are the Eligible for a Federal Incentive Grant For converting to EHRS and EMRs. Converting to EHRs is simple,  Government Incentive for converting to EMRs and EHRs is not only required but there is an incentive for EHRs the Federal Government under the 2009 National Recovery Act offers an Incentive for Coverting to EMR s and EHRs  the insentive for EHRs is substantial. The Insentive for EMRs is substanital because converting to EHRS and EMRs is $53- 62,000 and EMRs and EHRs are much better than "paper records so converting to EMR s is a subtantal advantage for any Medical Practice to Convert from Paper Records to EMR, EHRs and receive a Grant throughThe Obama administration will make available nearly $1.2 billion in federal grants to create a large network of regional health information technology centers and state-based entities to support physicians and hospitals as they acquire and implement electronic health records systems that meet federal standards.Physicians and hospitals need to have an EHR system in place that meets “meaningful use” standards if they hope to be eligible for the billions in Medicare and Medicaid bonuses available starting in 2011 through the economic stimulus package adopted earlier this year. The grants announced Aug. 20 by the Dept. of Health and Human Services and Vice President Joe Biden are designed to provide a supportive framework to help entities meet those standards, which will be proposed before the end of the year.   The grants are designed to help doctors and hospitals acquire electronic health records and use them in meaningful ways to improve the health of patients and reduce waste and inefficiency,” he said. “They will also help states lead the way in creating the infrastructure for health information exchange, which enables information to follow patients within and across communities, wherever the information is needed to help doctors and patients make the best decisions about medical care.

EMR EHR conversion is a simple process. A key Provision or the EHR , EMR requirments is that You can share Patient's Records with Other Medical Professionals. Sharing EHR s and EMRs with ER staff can be essential In Saving Lives and Electronic Medical Records Can be acquired over the Internet at other Locations. Sharing EHR s and EMRs over the Internet can be a life saver. Sharing EHRs and EMRs is SaFe as the EHRs. EMRs can be totally encrypted and safe. EMRS and EHRs incrypted and sent over the Internet can easily be received by any designated Medical Professional safely as they have EMR,EHR Equipment to Read EMRs and EHRs at their Locations. Encryption or EHRs is safe. Encryption of EMRs is Safe as patients get a pin number that coincides to their EMR at their Primary Care Physican's Office and Their EMR can be accessed via the Internet to another Medical facility of their choosing.WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- HHS Secretary Mike
Leavitt today awarded $103 million to 27 states across the nation to fund
implementation of new ways to improve Medicaid efficiency, economy and
quality of care.
    States will use the funds to implement innovative systems to get more
value out of the money they spend providing health care to their low-income
elderly, children and disabled citizens.
    Congress approved a total of $150 million for these Medicaid
"transformation grants" in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) to be
distributed over fiscal years 2007 and 2008. Today's award of the first
$103 million will be followed later in the year with a second solicitation
for the remaining $47 million. States will receive the funds over the next
two years.
    "These transformation grants express the core goal of this
administration to give states the kind of flexibility they need to deliver
high quality care in an efficient and economical way," Secretary Leavitt
said. "With these grants states can streamline and modernize their systems,
stabilize the exponential growth of the program and protect it into the
future."
    In part, the funds will support more widespread use of electronic
health care records that can be accessed by whole treatment teams, a move
within the medical community to improve quality of care and reduce the
potential for medical errors.
    Permissible uses of grant funds included:

    *  Reducing patient error rates through the implementation of technology
       (electronic health records, clinical decision support tools or e-
       prescribing programs).

    *  Improving rates of collection from estates of amounts owed under
       Medicaid.

    *  Reducing waste, fraud, and abuse under Medicaid, such as reducing
       improper payment rates.

    *  Increasing the utilization of generic drugs through education programs
       and other incentives. This reduces Medicaid expenditures for covered
       outpatient drugs, particularly in the categories of greatest drug
       utilization.

    *  Improving access to primary and specialty physician care for the
       uninsured using integrated university-based hospital and clinic
       systems.

    *  Implementation of a medication risk management program as part of a
       drug use review program.
    The awards granted today vary in amount depending on each state's
application. Some states submitted more than one grant proposal and will
receive funds for each project.
    No state matching funds are required for these special grants. More
information on the grants and how state Medicaid agencies can apply for the
next round of awards is on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Web
site at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidTransGrants.

Medicare Incentives: Beginning in 2011 physicians who are “meaningful users” of “certified EMR/EHR technology” will be eligible to receive up to $44,000 paid out over a five-year period in the form of incentive payments through Medicare reimbursements. Medicare incentives are based on “meaningful use” and are not tied to the actual cost of acquiring or maintaining an EHR.

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the incentive payment is equal to 75 percent of Medicare allowable charges for covered services furnished by the eligible provider in a year, subject to a maximum payment in years 1-5.

An additional 10% incentive bonus payment is available to physicians operating in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA); for more information visit www.hpsafind.hrsa.gov.



Penalties for not Complying with CONVERTING TO EHR AND EMRS ARE SUBSTANTIAL Starting January 1, 2015, physicians who are not “meaningful” EHR users will see a 1% reduction in Medicare payments. The reduction increases to 2% in 2016 and 3% in each subsequent year. If the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary finds that by the end of 2017 the proportion of physicians who are meaningful EHR users is less than 75%, HHS may continue to ratchet down payments by 1% a year (not more than 5 percent overall).  Hardship exceptions may be issued on a case-by-case basis, such as exceptions for physicians who practice in rural areas without adequate Internet access.

 I REPEAT:

Penalties for not Complying with CONVERTING TO EHR AND EMRS ARE SUBSTANTIAL Starting January 1, 2015, physicians who are not “meaningful” EHR users will see a 1% reduction in Medicare payments. The reduction increases to 2% in 2016 and 3% in each subsequent year. If the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary finds that by the end of 2017 the proportion of physicians who are meaningful EHR users is less than 75%, HHS may continue to ratchet down payments by 1% a year (not more than 5 percent overall).  Hardship exceptions may be issued on a case-by-case basis, such as exceptions for physicians who practice in rural areas without adequate Internet access.


Converting to Electronic Medical Records  (EMRs) will not only Improve and streamline your medical practice because EHRs and EMRs save office Space and reduce the need for OFFICE STAFF.  Converting from "paper records" to EHRs and EMRs will also help you server your patients in the following ways :   all tests and notes included in Patient records automatically,  all scans are included in EMRs automatically, all Lab Reports in EMRs will be included automatically, notes can be dictated in a patient's EHR automatically, all information about a patient can be recorded in his EMR automatcially.   ALso all lab reports can be immediately seen on an EMR automatcially, All notes can be seen on an EHR immediately patients address, phone number on EHRs saved and all addresses, insurance info phone etc is on emrs and ehrs. EMRs offer fast access for patient records. Converting from paper records to EMRS saves time and money. Converting to EHRs is a proven Medically sound idea. Emrs can be shared with other medical professionals instantly via the Internet. EMRs can be shared over the Internet safely with other medical professionals.
The Cash Incentive Federal Grant is specifically for converting to EHR s and every physician in the U.S. is elegible for this Medicare Insentive Grant and Every Hospital is elegible for this medicare and medicaid Govt Insentive grant. 

According to HHS, to qualify for the EHR incentives, doctors must meet all of the following three criteria: Demonstrate use of a “certified EHR technology” in a meaningful manner, including electronic prescribing. Demonstrate that the certified EHR technology is connected in a manner that provides for the electronic exchange of medical records. Submit information on clinical quality measures (PQRI) specified by the Secretary of HHS.
	CMS/HHS is expected to publish a proposed rule in late 2009 to define “meaningful use” of certified EMR/EHR technology and establish criteria for incentive programs. The Health IT Policy Committee will make recommendations to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (HIT) on standards, implementation specifications and certifications criteria.  For more information

According to HHS, to qualify for the EHR incentives, doctors must meet all of the following three criteria: Demonstrate use of a “certified EHR technology” in a meaningful manner, including electronic prescribing. Demonstrate that the certified EHR technology is connected in a manner that provides for the electronic exchange of medical records. Submit information on clinical quality measures (PQRI) specified by the Secretary of HHS.
	For more information about CCHIT, visit www.CCHIT.org or www.ehrdecisions.com.
	CMS/HHS is expected to publish a proposed rule in late 2009 to define “meaningful use” of certified EMR/EHR technology and establish criteria for incentive programs. The Health IT Policy Committee will make recommendations to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (HIT) on standards, implementation specifications and certifications criteria.  For more information According to HHS, to qualify for the EHR incentives, doctors must meet all of the following three criteria: Demonstrate use of a “certified EHR technology” in a meaningful manner, including electronic prescribing. Demonstrate that the certified EHR technology is connected in a manner that provides for the electronic exchange of medical records. Submit information on clinical quality measures (PQRI) specified by the Secretary of HHS.       CMS/HHS is expected to publish a proposed rule in late 2009 to define “meaningful use” of certified EMR/EHR technology and establish criteria for incentive programs. The Health IT Policy Committee will make recommendations to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (HIT) on standards, implementation specifications and certifications criteria.  For more information According to HHS, to qualify for the EHR incentives, doctors must meet all of the following three criteria: Demonstrate use of a “certified EHR technology” in a meaningful manner, including electronic prescribing. Demonstrate that the certified EHR technology is connected in a manner that provides for the electronic exchange of medical records. Submit information on clinical quality measures (PQRI) specified by the Secretary of HHS.       CMS/HHS is expected to publish a proposed rule in late 2009 to define “meaningful use” of certified EMR/EHR technology and establish criteria for incentive programs. The Health IT Policy Committee will make recommendations to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (HIT) on standards, implementation specifications and certifications criteria.  For more information

Congress has approved a total of $150 million for these "transformation grants," which will distributed over fiscal '07 and '08. While the states will be able to use the funds for a variety of purposes, key themes include the development of programs to encourage EMR use, clinical decision support tools or e-prescribing. Other areas include increasing utilization of generic drugs, implementation of a medication risk management programs and improving access to primary care and specialty physicians using integrated university-based hospitals and clinics. Interesting IT projects that were funded, included a health information exchange/e-prescribing initiative in Connecticut, which got $5 million, an $11.8 million Medicaid HIE in Arizona, an "open Vista ASP Network" in Hawaii, which got $3.2 million, and a $1.5 million grant integrating EHRs with clinical decision making. What I'd like to see added to this list, personally, is a grant which is explicitly designed to speed up how quickly at which Medicaid physicians get paid. Now there's an IT initiative everyone would love.

Read more: http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/hhs-grants-improve-medicaid-data-management/2007-01-29#ixzz0SOmtjjRQ

According to HHS, to qualify for the EHR incentives, doctors must meet all of the following three criteria: Demonstrate use of a “certified EHR technology” in a meaningful manner, includin electronic prescribing. Demonstrate that the certified EHR technology is connected in a manner that provides for the electronic exchange of medical records. Submit information on clinical quality measures (PQRI) specified by the Secretary of HHS.
	CMS/HHS is expected to publish a proposed rule in late 2009 to define “meaningful use” of certified EMR/EHR technology and establish criteria for incentive programs. The Health IT Policy Committee will make recommendations to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (HIT) on standards, implementation specifications and certifications criteria.  For more information

 In 2009, CMS removed PQRI Measure 125 (ePrescribing) and will use the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPAA) incentive program instead. In 2009 and 2010, physicians who successfully ePrescribe may receive a bonus payment of 2 percent of their overall Medicare Part-B professional services. Amounts will vary depending on the annual allowable Medicare Part-B billings. In 2011-2012, the reward for ePrescribing will be 1 percent, while the penalty for not ePrescribing begins in 2012.

First Insight was the first company focused exclusively on the ophthalmic market to publicly launch a true “end-to-end” ePrescribing solution through our integration with DrFirst's® award winning GoldRx^TM certified Rcopia^TM ePrescribing technology. Learn more about maximEyes’ built-in e-prescribing link.



In 2009, CMS removed PQRI Measure 125 (ePrescribing) and will use the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPAA) incentive program instead. In 2009 and 2010, physicians who successfully ePrescribe may receive a bonus payment of 2 percent of their overall Medicare Part-B professional services. Amounts will vary depending on the annual allowable Medicare Part-B billings. In 2011-2012, the reward for ePrescribing will be 1 percent, while the penalty for not ePrescribing begins in 2012.