On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law a $789 billion dollar economic stimulus package, formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA. Included in ARRA legislation is the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. HITECH allocates $19 billion to hospitals and physicians who demonstrate "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs).

Your behavioral healthcare agency is eligible for up to $63,750 of incentives per eligible provider.

Here is what you need to know. First, you can qualify for meaningful use dollars, even if you do not run a hospital or primary care office.

Companies, the most well-known being Qualifacts (http://www.qualifacts.com), contractually commit to meeting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services standards for "Certified EHR" as used in the ARRA.

These companies should directly support you in demonstrating meaningful use. Reimbursement incentives can completely cover your investment in a CareLogic Enterprise software solution.

In 2011 the government will begin incentivizing Medicare and Medicaid providers to adopt EHRs and electronic prescribing. For Medicare/Medicaid, you must implement a "certified" EHR and then demonstrate meaningful use. The reimbursement is 75% of billed Medicare OR Medicaid services up to a yearly cap. The e-prescribing program also includes bonuses and penalties tied to Medicare reimbursement rates and requires a certain percentage of all prescriptions to be performed through electronic means.

To become a meaningful use certified you must fulfill fifteen core and five menu requirements. Upon completion you will receive $63,750 per provider. You can expect to start receiving your incentives in 2011. The results may vary and are not available in all states.

Health IT has tremendous potential to transform how health care is delivered. Health Information Technology for Economic & Clinical Health Act (HITECH) attempts to realize that potential. $34 billion in financial incentives will be awarded to Medicare & Medicaid providers for the adoption and meaningful use of Health IT.

The goal in this program is to increase care coordination and foster better doctor-patient communication, along with reducing medical errors to improve patient safety.

It will also support delivery of evidence based care, provide patients with their own, portable health information, along with improving the overall quality of care, while fostering more cost effective delivery of that care.

Eligibility, as defined under ARRA compliance, is extended to hospitals, medicare hospitals and MA-affiliated hospitals. Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) and eligible Professionals (EP) are determined based on the following criteria:

• Non hospital-based MD, DO, DDS, DDM,Podiatrists, Optometrists, Chiropractors

• Must see 50% of patients at a facility that has certified EHR technology, such as behavioral health software.

For the hospital based incentives, reimbursement is an equation based on many factors, including total discharges, total gross revenue, total charity care charges, Medicare inpatient days (Part A FFS & Part C MA), and total inpatient days.

Provider Incentives, on the other hand, calculated by multiplying your allowable charges to Medicare by 75% (up to cap), Part B claims for FFS program, items in Medicare Physicians Fee schedule -- only the "professional" components. There is no minimum patient volume required, and a 10% bonus is available for those practicing predominantly in a Health Professional Shortage Area.

So, to be classified as a Meaningful User is simple. You simply must demonstrate three things. You must be using a Certified EHR Technology (e.g. case management software), meet staged IT functionality measures, and meet Staged Clinical Quality Measures.