The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides approximately $787 billion in spending and tax cuts to stimulate the U.S. economy.
Cerner calculates that the legislation will infuse $53.7 billion into the U.S. healthcare market, including $35 billion in Medicare and Medicaid incentives available to physicians and hospitals for the “meaningful use” of qualified electronic health record (EHR) systems, and $18.7 billion for research, condition management and other initiatives.
Cerner encourages eligible hospitals, eligible providers and physician practices to be proactive in implementing EHRs. In this way, healthcare organizations can maximize incentives and avoid Medicare reimbursement withholdings, which begin in 2015.
The need for systemic reform
Cerner believes this investment represents a unique opportunity to reconfigure the U.S. healthcare system and eliminate $500 billion each year in waste. This investment could create the level of systemic change America needs to address a number of serious issues and create a safer, more efficient healthcare network for generations to come.
At Cerner, we recognize that our success is rooted in the value of automating the healthcare process, and we are pleased to see that the Obama Administration and Congress understands an investment in healthcare information technology (HIT) benefits the entire U.S. economy.
Our industry brief, "The ABCs of Systemic Healthcare Reform,” (or download PDF version) authored by Cerner Chairman and CEO Neal Patterson, illustrates how the rational and systematic application of HIT can slow or reverse the growth in U.S. healthcare spending over the next decade.
The brief guides our policy discussions with our partners in Congress and with state legislators. In pursuing these policies, we are working both to reboot the U.S. healthcare system and to create the best possible outcomes for our clients.
Contact us to see how Cerner can partner with your organization to transform healthcare delivery and become a good steward of this strategic HIT investment.