State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program: 44 Frequently Asked Questions — ONC Updates On
Sept 17, 2009
Excerpted from ONC site:
Please note: Questions are organized by category and date posted. The ONC FAQ pages are updated frequently, so please check back often.

Question Categories:
–Background FAQs
–Application FAQs
–Funding FAQs
–Award Administration FAQs

List of Questions from FAQs
See ONC site page links above for up-to-date questions and answers.

BACKGROUND FAQs
A11.  What is the origin of the State HIE Program?
A10.  What is the stated purpose and goal of the State HIE Cooperative Agreement Program?
A9.  How does the State HIE Program relate to the EHR incentive payments that will be available to providers and physicians who serve people covered by Medicare and Medicaid?
A8.  How is meaningful use defined? 
A7.  What role do states play in supporting the requirements for “meaningful use” of electronic health records (EHRs) by 2014?
A6.  How will State HIE Program grants be made?
A5.  What is the focus of the cooperative agreements?
A4.  What are the relative roles of the states/state designated entities (SDEs) and the federal government in implementing the State HIE Program?
A3.  How can states work with the Federal government and private sector to advance HIE among health care providers?
A2.  What is the role for the private sector in advancing HIE?
A1.  Every state, and every provider within the state, is at a different level of HIE adoption. How does this program address those disparities?

APPLICATION FAQs
B21.  What is the approach of the State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program?
B20.  Who may apply for a grant and what does an applicant need to demonstrate to be considered for a Cooperative Agreement?
B19.  Can a State Designated Entity (SDE) be the prime recipient of the cooperative agreement?  In other words, must the award/funding go to the state and then to the SDE, or may it go directly to the SDE?
B18.  Is there a list of state designated entities?
B17.  Can a state apply for the cooperative agreement and during the course of the agreement transition to a public-private partnership that includes a state designated entity (SDE)?
B16.  Will all states and territories be awarded funding?
B15.  What is the application process for a multi-state applicant?
B14.  Is ONC is going to favor multi-state applications?
B13.  Are letters of support required? Why?
B12.  What kind of detail do you expect in the letters of support concerning the level of commitment or specific commitment from stakeholders?
B11.  What is the application process for HIE Cooperative Agreements?
B10.  What are the key due dates for the application?
B9.  Are historic spending expenditures still required?
B8.  How do I request an application package?
B7.  What costs should be included in my proposed budget?
B6.  How can a state that has not finished planning estimate a full four-year project budget?
B5.  How will the ONC work with states to integrate their existing plans for health information exchange within this new state grants framework?
B4.  How will my application be evaluated?
B3.  What proof of my non-profit status is required?  What if I haven’t been approved yet?
B2.  Where can applicants find modifications to the FOA?
B1.  Has the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) endorsed any platform, product or technology model for health information exchange?

FUNDING FAQs
C6.  What is my budget allocation?
C5.  How will the equity adjustments be calculated?
C4.  What are the matching requirements?
C3.  What is the process for performance-based funding? 
C2.  How does the Medicaid State plan requirement for HIE funding relate to this grant?
C1.  Are any post-award adjustments anticipated to the proposed budgets?

AWARD ADMINISTRATION FAQs
D6.  When will awards be made?
D5.  How will be applicants be notified of an award?
D4.  What reporting requirements are required?
D3.  What are the cooperative agreement terms and conditions of award?
D2.  Please explain the how the State HIE cooperative agreements will be evaluated?
D1.  What is your vision for the State HIT coordinator?  Is that position to be a named official within the state, or do you envision that position to be someone who is actually doing the work?  Do you expect that this is a full-time employee (FTE) or is this just part of an existing leadership position?

Remember: The ONC FAQ pages are updated frequently, so please check back often.