HIT Funding Should Be Safe

Beginning in 2011, qualifying heath care providers will become entitled to payments as high as $44,000 over a five-year period as an incentive to implement meaningful use of electronic health records.  Since the Republican takeover of the House, some have expressed concern about whether funding for health information technology (HIT) is in jeopardy.  We believe these concerns are unfounded and that funding will remain intact.
 
HIT and health care reform are completely different issues, at least politically.  From its inception, health IT has received broad bi-partisan support, and the expectation is that the new House majority will not attack these funds.  Of course, health care reform might not fare so well.  
 
So, while there is much speculation about how the new House majority will carry out its pledge to cut spending, none of the chatter has involved healthcare IT, and we fully expect HIT incentives for qualifying health care providers will begin in 2011 as scheduled.