3-2-09
Health Information Technology Provision in the ARRA
Health Information Technology (HIT) provisions were a prominent part of the health care package included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) (P.L. 111-05).
AOTA has been closely following HIT initiatives since their inception under Republican leadership several Congresses ago and is continuing to advocate to ensure occupational therapists are included in any initiatives that move forward like in the stimulus package.
HIT is seen as a mechanism to improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of health care and although investments incur up-front costs, the provisions are expected to deliver long-term savings to the health care system while improving outcomes.
Below is a list of relevant HIT provisions in the ARRA:
- Allocates $19 billion over 5 years through Medicare and Medicaid.
- Makes occupational therapists eligible for Medicare incentive payments for the adoption and use of HIT. A $2 billion allocation is included for health professionals, including occupational therapists.
- Establishes an Office of the National Coordinator from Health Information Technology (ONCHIT).
- Establishes HIT Policy and Standards Committees comprised of public and private stakeholders such as physician, hospital and provider groups.
- Requires HHS to develop initial HIT standards by 2010.
- Establishes incentives for the broad adoption of electronic health records.
- Establishes that schools of occupational therapy are eligible to apply for $300 million in grants to carry out demonstration projects that would develop academic curricula for integrating certified electronic health record technology into the clinical education of health professionals.
- Improves and expands federal privacy and security protections for health information.
AOTA will closely monitor the progress of these initiatives and continue our efforts to ensure that occupational therapy practitioners are eligible for support in the development, training, adoption and implementation of HIT.
More information about Congressional and federal agency initiatives related to HIT will be available on AOTA’s Legislative Action Center.