Coalition To Send Letter To Members Of Congress Calling For Action On Health IT Legislation

Main Category: IT / Internet / E-mail
Also Included In: Public Health;  Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 10 Sep 2008 - 6:00 PST

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More than 175 groups on Tuesday plan to send a letter to House and Senate members urging them to pass legislation that would create a nationwide system of electronic health records, CongressDaily reports. The groups in the Health IT Now Coalition have said they believe increased use of EHRs will improve health care quality and access and reduce medical errors and cost. The coalition in the letter said they "share the downstream effects of our inefficient health care system, particularly rising health care costs." The letter also says it is important for Congress to act on the legislation now rather than waiting for the "uncertainty of the priorities of a new administration."

The Health IT Now Coalition has endorsed bills pending in both the Senate and House (Noyes, CongressDaily, 9/9). A Senate bill (S 1693), sponsored by Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.), was "hotlined" earlier this summer in an attempt to bring it to the floor by unanimous consent, but Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) threatened to block a floor vote on the measure in part because of privacy concerns (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 8/1). A similar House measure (HR 6357), sponsored by Reps. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Joe Barton (R-Texas), is awaiting floor action. Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) also is working on a proposal that would provide incentives to providers who use health information technology for Medicare reimbursement, CongressDaily reports.

Deborah Peel of Patient Privacy Rights criticized the coalition's efforts, saying the language of the bills would not guard against improper use of medical records or potential security breaches. America's Health Insurance Plans also has criticized the bills, saying they could hinder providers' ability to offer wellness programs, disease management, quality assurance and other services.

Former Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.), chair of the Health IT Now Coalition, said there is a "50-50 shot" the legislation will pass this year "because the hurdles are high, and it's easy for Congress to get bogged down in the ancillary" issues (CongressDaily, 9/9).

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