§ 17b-34 — Commissioner of Social Services to obtain federal funds for health information technology. Disbursement of funds. Medicaid electronic health record incentive program.

(a) The Commissioner of Social Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Public Health, shall take such action as necessary to meet the qualification criteria established pursuant to Section 4201 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, P.L. 111-5, to obtain (1) matching funds for the Department of Social Services' administrative planning activities related to health information technology; and (2) incentive payments for hospitals and eligible professionals who are meaningful electronic health record users as described in said act. The Commissioner of Social Services shall disburse any federal incentive funds for hospitals and eligible professionals that the commissioner receives pursuant to this section to each hospital and eligible professional. (b) The Commissioner of Social Services shall, in accordance with Section 4201 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, P.L. 111-5, develop and implement a Medicaid health information technology plan and shall establish a Medicaid electronic health record incentive program to provide incentives for hospitals and other health care providers which adopt and meaningfully use electronic health records to improve patient health and the quality and efficiency of health care service delivery. (c) A hospital or other health care provider that receives an adverse decision by the Commissioner of Social Services under the Medicaid electronic health record incentive program concerning the hospital's or provider's: (1) Eligibility for incentive payments; (2) incentive payment amounts; (3) demonstration of adopting, implementing or upgrading an electronic health record; or (4) fulfillment of meaningful use criteria may request review of the commissioner's decision, in accordance with 42 CFR 495.370. Upon receipt of such request, the commissioner shall conduct an initial review and notify the provider of the determination based on such review. The provider may request an administrative hearing, in accordance with chapter 54, to contest the department's determination. (d) For purposes of this section, “hospital” has the same meaning as provided in section 19a-490 , and “other health care provider” means any person, corporation, limited liability company, organization, partnership, firm, association, facility or institution that is licensed or certified by the state to provide health care services and contracts with the Department of Social Services to provide such services to recipients of benefits under the Medicaid program.

Legislative History

(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 10-1, S. 21; P.A. 11-25, S. 4; 11-137, S. 1; P.A. 14-122, S. 114.) History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 10-1 effective June 22, 2010; P.A. 11-25 made a technical change; P.A. 11-137 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a), added Subsec. (b) re establishment of Medicaid electronic health record incentive program and development of Medicaid health information technology plan, added Subsec. (c) re review of adverse decision and added Subsec. (d) defining “hospital” and “other health care provider”, effective July 8, 2011; P.A. 14-122 made technical changes in Subsec. (d).