Maryland has approved a bill making it the first state to require commercial health plans to offer doctors incentives for adopting electronic medical records.
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Starting in 2011, when physicians adopt EMRs, health plans will have to pay them higher reimbursements, pay out a lump sum incentive or offer in-kind services that have financial value. This ties in with the state’s timetable for getting physicians online; by 2015, physicians who don’t adopt EMRs will face penalties.