According to McKnight’s news: “Long-term care providers can receive additional technology funding under a new initiative announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Wednesday.

The initiative seeks to make interoperable technology attainable for a “broader universe” of Medicaid-certified healthcare providers, CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt and National Coordinator for Health Information Karen DeSalvo said in a blog post.

States will be able to request 90% enhanced matching funds from CMS to allow a greater variety of healthcare providers — including long-term care facilities, behavioral health providers and substance abuse treatment centers  — to purchase technology to connect them to the “complete circuit” of health information sharing. The funding will also help improve the sustainability of health information exchanges, CMS said”.

“Adding long-term care providers, behavioral health providers, and substance abuse treatment providers, for example, to statewide health information exchange systems will enable seamless sharing of a patients’ health information between doctors or other clinicians when it’s needed,” the blog post reads. “This sharing helps create a more complete care team to collaborate on the best treatment plans and goals for Medicaid patients.”  Andy Slavitt

Blogger comment:  It’s about time.  CMS is rolling out hospital driven bundled payment and hasn’t covered the LTC base at all.  As usual nursing homes and assisted living are after thoughts.  Without them there is no continuum nor valid pricing. Jerry Rhoads