Dr. David Blumenthal, the HHS National Coordinator for Health IT, and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Wednesday, Dec. 2 the plans to have $235 million available for the Beacon Community Program.  This program’s goals are to be an example of the ability of health IT to transform local healthcare systems. Ultimately, the program aims to improve the lives of U.S. citizens, as well as the performance of healthcare providers.

The break down of the $235 million is as follows: $220 for building the health IT infrastructure and $15 for technical assistance and evaluation of the program. According to a HHS press release, Dr. Blumenthal said, “The Beacon Community Program will help provide more hard evidence that health IT exchange can make a significant and positive difference in the delivery and value of care.”