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Emerging HIT

ARRA

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (PUB. L 115) commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United State Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided billons of dollars in Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments to providers and hospitals for the “Meaningful Use” of certified health information technology products. The legislation requires the Department of Health and Human Services to take regulatory action in several areas, including electronic health record (EHR) incentives for eligible professionals and hospitals (Meaningful Use), standards and certification criteria, an EHR certification program, and privacy security.

The Legislative History of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

  • Introduced in the House as H.R. I by Dave Obey (D-WI) January 26, 2009

  • Committee consideration by: Appropriations and Budget

  • Passed the House on January 28, 2009 by a vote of 244 –188

  • Passed the Senate on February 10, 2009 by a vote of 61-37

  • Reported by the joint conference committee on February 12, 2009; agreed to by the House on February 13, 2009 246-183 and by the Senate on February 13, 2009 60-38

Total Health Care Expenditures:

Total: $155.1 billion

  • $86.8 billion for Medicaid

  • $25.8 billion for health information technology investments and incentive payments

  • $25.1 billion to provide a 65 percent subsidy of health care insurance premiums for the unemployed under the program

  • $10 billion for health research and construction of National Institutes of Health facilities

  • $2 billion for Community Health Centers

  • $1.3 billion for construction of military hospitals

  • $1.1 billion to study the comparative effectiveness of healthcare treatments

  • $1 billion for prevention and wellness

  • $1 billion for the Veterans Administration

  • $500 million for healthcare services on

  • $300 million to train healthcare workers in the National Health Service Corps

  • $202 million for a temporary moratorium for certain Medicare regulations

To Access the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act click here.

The American Health Information Management Association has posted their analysis of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. To review their perspective on ARRA click on the following links:

  • AHIMA Review of ARRA (March 2009)

  • AHIMA Review of ARRA Required Reports (April 2009)

  • AHIMA Analysis of ARRA Privacy (April 2009)

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