Medicare Paid Hundreds of Millions in Electronic Health Record Incentive Payments That Did Not Comply With Federal Requirements 

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act established the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record (EHR) incentive programs to promote the adoption of EHRs and to improve health care quality, safety, and efficiency through the promotion of health information technology and electronic health information exchange. As an incentive for using certified EHR technology, the Federal Government is making payments to eligible professionals (EPs) and hospitals that attest to the "meaningful use" of EHRs. To receive an incentive payment, EPs attest that they meet program requirements by self-reporting data through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) online system.