Explanation
BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently created an electronic health record (EHR) incentive program for Medicaid providers utilizing ARRA monies. In Ohio, this program is managed by the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services and is called the Medicaid Provider Incentive Program, or MPIP. MPIP provides incentive payments to eligible professionals (EPs) that adopt, implement, upgrade, and demonstrate "meaningful use" (MU) of certified EHR technology. An EP is an enrolled Ohio Medicaid provider with an active Ohio Medicaid Agreement. At Columbus Public Health (CPH), these include Public Health Physicians and Advance Practice Registered Nurses. Under MPIP, EPs can receive up to $63,750 over a maximum of 6 years of participation in the program. As is provided and is allowed, the EPs at CPH will be reassigning their incentive payments to CPH. MPIP will continue until 2021, but 2016 is the last year an EP may begin participation in the program.
In order to properly track and account for these monies, we are requesting that the City Auditor create a new subfund within the City's Special Purpose Fund, Fund No. 223. CPH needs to be able to track and demonstrate that we are "meaningful users of certified EHR technology" and to document and show our "efforts to adopt, implement, upgrade or meaningfully use certified EHR technology."
FISCAL IMPACT: CPH anticipates receiving $127,500 (6 EPs x $21,250 for enrolling in MPIP) of the potential $382,500 (6 EPs x $63,750) during Fiscal Year 2012 as the EPs complete the application process. As far as the remaining monies, they would be applied for and received as soon as CPH is able to prove "meaningful use," that is, meet certain objectives, standards and benchmarks for the three defined stages/phases. CPH has a maximum of six years to participate in the program. Presently, the plan is to use these monies to support the purchase of a new electronic health records system for CPH that would put us in compliance with Federal standards.
Title
To authorize the City Auditor to create a new subfund within the City's Special Purpose Fund to account for the activities of the Medicaid Provider Incentive Program at Columbus Public Health; to authorize an appropriation of $127,500.00 to Columbus Public Health from the unappropriated balance of the Special Purpose Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($127,500.00)
Body
WHEREAS, utilizing ARRA monies, the USDHHS recently created an electronic health record (EHR) incentive program for Medicaid providers; and,
WHEREAS, in Ohio, this program is managed by the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services and is called the Medicaid Provider Incentive Program, or MPIP; and,
WHEREAS, under MPIP, CPH anticipates receiving $127,500 of the potential $382,500 during Fiscal Year 2012 as the application process is completed; and,
WHEREAS, because CPH needs to be able to track, document and show our "efforts to adopt, implement, upgrade or meaningfully use certified EHR technology," it is necessary for the City Auditor to create a new subfund within the City's Special Purpose Fund; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of Columbus Public Health in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the creation of the new subfund and to appropriate said funds for the preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to establish a subfund within the City's Special Purpose Fund, Fund No. 223, titled Health's MPIP Initiative Subfund, in order to properly track and account for the fiscal activities of the Medicaid Provider Incentive Program Initiative.
SECTION 2. That all revenues received from the State's Medicaid Provider Incentive Program shall be deposited into said subfund within the Special Purpose Fund, Fund No. 223.
SECTION 3. That from the unappropriated monies in the City's Special Purpose Fund, Fund No. 223, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2012, the sum of $127,500.00 is appropriated to the Department of Health, Department No. 50-01, as follows:
Subfund No.: to be assigned by the Auditor's Office, Object Level 3; 3347, OCA Code; to be assigned by the Auditor's Office, Amount; $127,500.00.
SECTION 4. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 3 shall be paid upon order of the Health Commissioner, and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 5. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.