HHS to pay doctors to use EHRs

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will launch a widespread demonstration rewarding doctors who adopt electronic health records. HHS would recruit 100 doctors from 12 communities across the United States to participate in a five-year demo. Leavitt said that doctors would be rewarded within the first year they adopt certified EHRs. CMS is still working with its actuaries to determine the bonus structure. The bonus amounts will be available when the demo begins, he said. Participating physicians would be rewarded for reporting performance in the second year of the demo and for improving quality of care in the third year. Leavitt said HHS hopes private payers would choose to follow the agency's lead to reward doctors in a similar manner. CMS has said that recruitment for the demo would begin in late winter 2008.