WASHINGTON – Two key House committees are making plans to move forward with healthcare IT legislation.

The House Ways & Means Committee in the next two months could schedule a markup of H.R. 4157, a bill from Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.). The bill aims to remove legal barriers that prevent healthcare from sharing technology with doctors. The legislation also codifies several initiatives already in place. It would make permanent the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. It also provides a mechanism for certifying IT tools and promotes the use of standards to ensure interoperability among healthcare IT systems.

Another provision in the bill calls for a single federal privacy standard, an aspect which has raised concerns among privacy advocates and some members of Congress. However, recent reports indicate that Johnson may be considering changes to the bill. A spokesperson for Johnson did not return calls by press time. A House Ways and Means spokesperson would not confirm when or if such a bill would be marked up.

Meanwhile, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is creating a healthcare IT bill that could be marked up soon. A spokesperson for the House Energy and Commerce Committee would not say when the bill would be introduced, but did note that healthcare IT legislation is a priority for House Energy and Commerce Chair Joe Barton (R-Texas).

“It’s clearly on the agenda,” he said.

Michael Zamore, a legislative director for Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D-R.I.), said his office continues to work with House leaders on creating a House healthcare IT bill that includes adequate privacy protections. Rep. Kennedy, who introduced a healthcare IT bill (H.R. 2234) last year with Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.), has expressed concern in recent months that the Johnson bill does not safeguard medical privacy. Kennedy has said he would introduce a separate privacy bill that would establish a set of minimum standards to protect the privacy of electronic health information.

If a healthcare IT bill were to pass either House committee, it would then be reconciled with a Senate bill (S. 1418) that passed by unanimous consent last year. House leaders have indicated a desire to bring healthcare IT legislation to the floor for a vote in June.

Meanwhile, several members of Congress are writing “dear colleague” letters in support of National Health IT Week, held June 5-9, when several groups plans to advocate for healthcare IT legislation and highlight the benefits of information technology in the healthcare system.