Louisiana Creates Electronic Health Records Loan Program
Health care facilities and physicians that use electronic health records will be eligible for enhanced Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements, and those that fail to implement will be penalized with lower reimbursements.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal yesterday signed the "Electronic Health Records Loan Program" to accelerate the use of health information technology in the state. The act allows the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals authority to apply for federal stimulus money and distribute it as loans to health care providers. The state will provide $5 million, to be matched with $25 million in federal funds if the application is approved. Health care facilities and physicians that use electronic health records will be eligible for enhanced Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements, and those that fail to implement will be penalized with lower reimbursements.
