This September 1, 2009 Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) letter from Center for Medicaid and State Operations (CMSO) Director Cindy Mann to state Medicaid directors provides preliminary guidance for state Medicaid programs' meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). 

From the letter:

The purpose of this letter is to provide initial guidance on section 4201 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), Pub. L. 111-5 which establishes a program for payment to providers who adopt and become meaningful users of electronic health records. This letter, including the enclosures, will provide preliminary guidance on State expenses related to activities in support of the administration of incentive payments to providers. More information will be forthcoming through guidance and rule-making regarding State administrative expenses and provider incentive payments. We intend to publish proposed regulations to address the steps outlined in this letter by the end of the year.

Full letter: Initial Guidance on Section 4201 of the ARRA Medicaid Health IT Provisions (PDF | 86.79 KB)

Enclosure A: State Medicaid HIT Plan (PDF | 19.5 KB)

Enclosure B: Relationship between MMIS, MITA, and HIT Adoption (PDF | 20.92 KB) 

Enclosure C: Roles and Responsibilities (PDF | 17.82 KB)

Enclosure D: CMS Coordination with the Office of the National Coordinator and Section 3013 (PDF | 17.67 KB)  

Enclosure E: Medicaid HIT Planning Activities Eligible for 90 Percent Administrative HIT FFP (PDF | 38.43 KB)

Enclosure F: HIT Resources (PDF | 73.41 KB)