TOPEKA — A total of $18.3 million in Medicaid incentives has been awarded to 279 Kansas doctors and 25 hospitals for implementing electronic health record systems, officials at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced Monday.

Last week KDHE made federal Medicaid incentive payments of more than $7.6 million for 2011 to two hospitals and 269 individual providers. The first incentive payments were made last month.

Hospitals qualify for the incentive payments if at least 10 percent of their patients are on Medicaid. For doctors the threshold is 30 percent, though pediatricians may qualify if their patient load is 20 percent Medicaid.

The incentive payments were made available by the federal economic stimulus law passed in 2009 for health care providers whose electronic health record systems meet certain federal standards.

The payments were first available in 2011 to providers of Medicare or Medicaid services.

Kansas doctors started receiving Medicare-based incentives in May 2011, and hospitals began receiving the Medicare bonus payments in October 2011.

Incentives for 2012

KDHE officials said hospitals and providers that have implemented or upgraded electronic health record systems in 2012 can apply online for incentives.

Those intending to apply for incentives based on achieving "meaningful use" of their systems can do so starting April 30.

A webinar designed for hospitals and providers applying for meaningful-use Medicaid incentives is scheduled for 1 p.m. May 4. The online portion will be available here and the audio portion is available at (866) 227-0668, conference code: 202-481-8350. View the invitation (PDF) for more information on the webinar.