WASHINGTON – Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius expressed strong support of healthcare IT in both of her confirmation hearings this week before Congress. The Senate Finance Committee is expected to vote on her nomination as Department of Health and Human Services Secretary as early as next week.

If she is confirmed, Sebelius will be mandated under the stimulus package to play a key role in determining how physicians and hospitals will be paid bonuses for their use of healthcare IT to improve quality of care. She will also play a major role in determining the next steps in standards development and certification. In addition, she will oversee stimulus funding of $2 billion for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, a large portion of which will be used to subsidize state grants to establish loan programs for providers to purchase healthcare IT.

In her testimony before the Senate Finance Committee Thursday, Sebelius said the economic stimulus package makes positive investments now that will yield health and economic dividends later.  "Through health information technology, it lays the foundation for a 21st-century system to reduce medical errors, lower healthcare costs, and empower health consumers. In the next five years, HHS will set the standards for privacy and interoperability, test models and certify the technology, and offer incentives for hospitals and doctors to adopt it."

Sebelius said she was honored that President Obama has asked her to fill "a critical role at such an important time."

Prior to the hearing, Sebelius told committee leaders she had amended her past three years of tax returns to pay back $7,000 in "unintentional" errors. This gesture, taken by Obama critics as another opportunity to criticize Obama's vetting process to find blemish-free cabinet members, is not expected to hinder her confirmation.

In February, Obama's first choice for HHS secretary, Tom Daschle, withdrew his nomination over more than $140,000 in back taxes and interest owed on the gift use of a car service. Daschle was expected to be confirmed and was highly anticipated as a prime candidate, he withdrew because he had felt he lost the public's trust.

Sebelius, a second-term Democratic governor in a Republican state, enjoys widespread bipartisan support. Her opposition comes from pro-life groups who challenge her liberal views on abortion and some Kansas Republicans who have criticized her leadership.

Senate leaders had said they expect Sebelius to clear the confirmation process easily. Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) has urged no delays in confirming her.

Diana Manos

Senior Editor for Healthcare IT News

Follow Diana on Twitter @DManos_IT_News