On December 30, 2009, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule (Proposed Rule) implementing incentive payments under the Medicare and Medicaid programs for the “meaningful use” of certified electronic health records (EHR) technology. Congress mandated the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to incentivize eligible health care providers (professionals, hospitals, and critical access hospitals) to adopt EHR technologies. Incentive payments for eligible hospitals may begin as early as October 2010, while payments to other eligible providers may begin in January 2011.