Are Critical Access Hospitals eligible for Medicare incentives under the HITECH Act?
Critical Access Hospitals are eligible for enhanced incentives under cost-based reimbursement. Meaningful EHR users may obtain reimbursement for the undepreciated value of certified EHR expenditures plus 20 percentage points, provided the Medicare share does not exceed 100%. Critical Access Hospitals can enhance bonus incentive value by reaching “Meaningful User” designation as early possible; those that are “Meaningful Users” by 2011 are eligible for 4 years of enhanced Medicare payments with immediate full depreciation of certified EHR costs.
