Health IT Now! Coalition Applauds Health IT Bill Introduced By Senators Kennedy, Enzi, Clinton & Hatch
WASHINGTON, June 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Health IT Now! coalition applauds a bill introduced today by Senators Edward Kennedy, Michael Enzi, Hillary Clinton and Orrin Hatch to bring health information technology (Health IT) to all Americans.
The Senate bill adopts several of the Health IT Now! coalition principles to promote the widespread adoption of health information technology. In particular, the legislation sets a date certain for establishing interoperability standards, provides grants and loans to providers, empowers public-private partnerships, and codifies aspects of the Health IT effort into law, thus helping to realize life-saving — and cost-saving — advances of modern technology.
“We commend Senators Kennedy, Enzi, Clinton and Hatch for their bipartisan action on this non-partisan issue that will save money and save lives,” said former Senator John Breaux, co-chair of the Health IT Now! coalition.
Senator Breaux, a former Senate Finance Committee Member, co-chairs the coalition with former Representative Nancy Johnson, the former Chairman of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee.
“We urge the Senate to take up Health IT legislation quickly. Americans have waited too long for the benefits of Health IT — benefits that we could have right now if only Congress would act,” said Senator Breaux.
The benefits of Health IT include instant physician access to a patient’s medical information, interactive support for the elderly and those with chronic conditions, superior electronic record-keeping and interoperability to eliminate duplicate and unnecessary tests, and networked systems of best- practice information made accessible to providers.
Health IT promises to improve the quality of patient care, help reduce the nearly 100,000 deaths each year due to medical errors, and save billions.
“The members of Health IT Now! urge Congress to act this year and pass legislation before the end of 2007,” said Senator Breaux.
HealthITNow.org is an organization which educates the public and policymakers on the challenges of our current health care system and the transforming life-saving and cost-saving benefits of health care information technology. As an organization formed within the meaning of section 501(c)(4), contributions to the organization are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes.
Founding members include: American Academy of Nursing American Homeowners Grassroots Alliance American Society of Clinical Oncology The Boeing Company Consumers for Cable Choice FasterCures Genetic Alliance International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Latino Coalition Marshfield Clinic National Alliance for Caregiving National Alliance on Mental Illness National Association of Manufacturers National Disease Clusters Alliance National Medical Association National MS Society National Patient Advocate Foundation National Retail Federation Research America RetireSafe Seniors Coalition US Oncology Verizon Women Work! World Institute on Disability
HealthITNow.org
CONTACT: Julie Fleming, +1-202-572-620, for HealthITNow.org
Web site: http://www.healthitnow.org/