Researchers at George Washington University have found that approximately 45,000 physicians nationwide qualify for as much as $63,750 each in federal stimulus money to be used for the adoption and maintenance of health information technology beginning in 2011.
According to the press release, the following groups of physicians will qualify for as much as $63,750 as long as they demonstrate meaningful use of HIT:
- Office-based physicians whose patients are made up of at least 30 percent Medicaid beneficiaries.
- Office-based pediatricians who have a patient mix including 20 percent medicare beneficiaries will qualify for the same incentives.
- Physicians who practice at federally qualified health centers and other settings can qualify if 30 percent of their patient base is characterized as “needy,” including those covered by Medicaid, those who receive uncompensated care and patients who are charged income-related sliding scale fees.
Reporters may be able to localize this by finding qualified doctors in their area or by checking with community health centers and rural clinics. Page 10 of the report lists how many qualifying physicians there are in each state.
Find the full study here (14-page pdf).
