The ONC received an unexpected application from WenoHealthcare to become an authorized testing and certification body (ONC-ATCB). Weno has stated they are accepting early applications for a quote and a no obligation placement on their waiting list, on a first come first serve basis. There will be no obligation to use Weno; and a non refundable small application fee will be at risk if ONC ATCB status is not obtained. If Weno receives ONC-ATCB status, as expected, the waiting list will activate.
ModernHealthcare published their annual “100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare – 2010” list. Our man Blumenthal came in at 14. View the Photo Gallery.
Four major private payers have announced incentive programs for achieving meaningful use. Aetna, Highmark, UnitedHealth, and WellPoint will align their pay-for-performance programs with the new CMS meaningful use incentive programs. In some cases, physicians who meet a payer’s P4P criteria and demonstrate meaningful use will receive a higher P4P payment; in other cases the payment won’t rise but demonstrating meaningful use will become a criteria for getting the P4P payment.
Eden Prairie, MN based Ingenix, a leading health information technology and services company, will acquire Axolotl, a leading provider of health information exchange (HIE) services. The Axolotl management team will remain in place and will lead Ingenix’s efforts in health care community connectivity.
Checking in on the ONC, their web site got a face lift. $20 million was awarded to 46 RECs to assist 1,655 critical access and rural hospitals in transitioning to certified EHRs. And the HIT Policy Committee’s Governance Workgroup Seeks Comments.
Have a good weekend.