There will be fewer steps to take to receive federal stimulus funds. This may hasten the day when hospitals and physicians have been paid and the government and its quasi-private Certification Commission for Health Information Technology may begin to set standards for home care and hospice EHRs, a necessary step before stimulus funds reach home care.
On June 25, a New Hampshire RN filed a civil suit against three officials of the Obama Administration alleging the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) health IT provisions violate HIPAA privacy provisions. The suit, filed by the nurse’s attorney husband, expresses fears that the stimulus funds will weaken HIPAA privacy safeguards and allow the government to dictate care plans to physicians.
Before the nation’s home care CFOs left Boston last week, NAHC Financial Manager meeting chair Bill Dombi was able to get the Calendar Year 2010 Medicare pay rate proposal hot off the presses and explain it to an audience most concerned about the news. Dombi’s analysis adds to our repeat of the information published July 30 in the Federal Register.
ARRA stimulus funds will go to physicians first. Later, post-acute providers will be able to apply. However, the criteria home care will have to meet in future years will be established now. Therefore, it is unwise to ignore the present debate about “meaningful use” of EHRs, thinking it is only a physician issue.
