AARP To Testify In Support Of Health IT Legislation - Electronic System Promises To Improve Health Care Safety And Convenience At Lower Cost

Main Category: IT / Internet / E-mail
Also Included In: Seniors / Aging
Article Date: 06 Jun 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) will testify before the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee in support of health information technology legislation. AARP Board Member Dr. Byron Thames will encourage lawmakers to pass a health IT bill this year to improve the safety, effectiveness and efficiency of the country's health care.

"Health IT has the potential to save thousands of lives and billions of dollars," Dr. Thames said in advance of the hearing. "This new bill represents a major step for patients and the entire health care system. We have an opportunity to make our health care system safer and more effective while saving money. AARP and its nearly 40 million members hope lawmakers will recognize how much our country needs health IT legislation."

The hearing will discuss draft legislation by Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) and Ranking Member Joe Barton (R-TX). AARP has commended the draft, which contains several principles crucial to the success of health IT. These include: codifying a health IT coordinator and Policy Committee, instructing the Policy Committee to address privacy concerns, requiring individual notification of privacy breaches and providing grants to providers in need of assistance to implement new health IT systems.

Today's testimony will be accompanied by an ad in Roll Call from Divided We Fail, which includes AARP, Business Roundtable, SEIU and NFIB. The ad reads, "Pass Health IT Now. This 'Computer Thing' Isn't Just a Fad." Divided We Fail is urging lawmakers to support health IT as a critical step to improve America's health care system. The groups have jointly endorsed similar legislation in the Senate. On Monday, Divided We Fail sent a letter to members of the House and Senate, telling lawmakers, "If health IT does not pass, our health care system will continue to be mired in paperwork."

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 33 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's 39 million members and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

American Association of Retired Persons