Suggested Content
- AMA, AHIMA at odds on ICD-10
- Gingrich's health center was power player in a host of Washington policy debates
- Imaging groups not onboard with BCBS prior authorization proposal
- Three states land millions to build insurance exchanges
- Will federal budget woes dampen HIT adoption?
- Grants target transition from hospital to home
- Visionary or extremist?
- CMS, ONC take pounding at congressional hearing on meaningful use
- Alliance calls for legislative fix to meaningful use
- Republicans call for confirmation hearing on CMS chief
WASHINGTON – It's still the early days of the 109th Congress, but lawmakers already have introduced or are planning bills that aim to spur information technology adoption in healthcare.
High-profile members on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee as well as members of the House 21st Century Health Care Caucus are expected to take the lead on most IT legislation.
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) has introduced a bill (S. 16) to improve the quality of health systems, reducing costs and "adopting modern information technology." The bill would provide grants and loans for providers to adopt technology.
In addition, Senate HELP Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-Wy.) and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) have introduced S. 4, which calls for establishing a national framework for creating personal electronic health records and exchanging health information in a secure, private manner.
Reps. Charlie Gonzalez (D-Texas) and John McHugh (R-N.Y.) in early February introduced a bill that authorizes HHS to provide grants, tax credits or revolving loans to physicians and other providers to purchase interoperable EHRs or other technologies that would be used to aid treatment decisions. In addition, physicians who use electronic medical records or conduct e-mail consultations that meet certain criteria would receive "add-on bonus payments" under Medicare. The National Health Information Incentive Act of 2005 also waives budget neutrality rules for the Medicare reimbursement changes.
Reps. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.) and Patrick J. Kennedy (D-R.I.), both plan to reintroduce bills from the last Congress that have healthcare IT implications.
Although timing is uncertain, Kennedy said he would again bring to the floor patient safety legislation, called the Josie King Act, which would make grants available to providers and healthcare organizations that collaborate on healthcare IT projects. Kennedy said he also is talking with Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.), who introduced healthcare-IT related legislation last year, about signing onto his bill.
Murphy said he would reintroduce a bill (H.R. 4805) he sponsored last year to establish a demonstration program to offset the costs of electronic prescribing systems for Medicare healthcare providers.
