BCBSNC to Cover Practices’ EHR Costs

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) will make Electronic Health Records (EHR) available to more than 750 North Carolina physicians, including more than 150 physicians in 39 free clinics, allowing them to connect to the statewide Health Information Exchange (NC HIE). BCBSNC will cover 85% of the EHR software and setup costs for 600 physicians in eligible independent practices and 100% of the costs for 39 eligible free clinics over the next five years.

The new initiative, called the North Carolina Program to Advance Technology for Health, also provides training and ongoing support for these practices to implement the certified EHR technology, and to work toward achieving “meaningful use” status and becoming recognized as Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMH).

BCBSNC and Allscripts are working with the NC HIE to help develop the statewide health information exchange by establishing the first population able to connect into the exchange. As part of this initiative, BCBSNC is providing support to North Carolina Area Health Education Centers to work with practices on-site to help identify and then implement the improvements necessary for PCMH recognition. Practices that are PCMH recognized may be eligible for increased reimbursements from BCBSNC.

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