“Affordable Health Care for America Act” (AHCAA) includes Health IT Measures
Bernie Monegain, of Healthcare IT News reported on November 9, 2009, on response of Medical Group Management Association (large and small practices), AMA, and insurance industry to the Health IT and other aspects of bill.
Joseph Goedert, HealthData Management, reports on November 9, 2009, the bill retains ”administrative simplification language to make more uniform the HIPAA transaction sets for claims and related transactions.”
Original summary from e-Healthcare Marketing, Nov 8, 2009: The 1990-page healthcare reform bill (US H.R. 3962), passed by the US House of Representatives late on November 7, 2009, includes several references to Health Information Technology, Electronic Health Records, Health Information Exchange, and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT. Based on an initial scan, this post notes several of those health IT references and serves as a basis for a more thorough review. Comments, additions, and corrections are invited. Page numbers intended to indicate location in pdf file where the Health IT term is shown.
State Health Access Program Grants/Standardize Electronic Administrative Actions (p. 83)
Programs to “expand access to affordable health care coverage for the uninsured population in the State” in programs such as state insurance exchanges, community coverage program, reinsurance plan program, transparent marketplace program, automated enrollment program, innovative stratgies, and purchasing collaboratives.” Administrative Electronic Transactions need to be standardized by HIT Policy and Standards Committees in conjunction with ONC.
Study and Report on Methods to Increase EHR Use
by Small Healthcare Providers (p. 153)
Study and report on impact of options to increase use of EHRs such as higher reimbursement, promoting lower cost EHRs (including VA’s VisTa), EHR training, or implementation assistance.
Integration of Physician Quality Reporting and EHR Reporting (p. 407)
HHS Secretary to develop plan to integrate clinical reporting on quality measures relating to meaningful use of EHRs for a patient’s health and to identify gaps in quality and coordination of care.
Institute of Medicine Study of Geographic Variation in Health Care Spending and Promoting High-Value Health Care (p. 505)
IOM to recommend changes for Medicare per capita payments considering 9 elements, including “leveraging the use of health information technology.”
Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research (p. 756)
Housed in Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research, will “conduct, support, and synthesize research…with respect to outcomes, effectiveness, and appropriateness of health services and procedures…” including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical and surgical procedures, and other medical interventions.” This will involve the use of registries, research data networks from electronic health records, and other electronic health data. The Center will diseminate the information to physicians and EHR vendors to “assist the users of health information technology focused on clinical decision support to promote the timely incorporation of such findings into clinical practices and promote the ease of use of such incorporation.”
Public Reporting by Hospitals and Ambulatory Surgical Centers on Health Care-Associated Infections (p. 914)
Transmission of this information to be coordinated with ONC and Centers for Disease Control with systems established by HITECH act.
Improving Accountability for Approved Medical Residency Training (p. 943)
Training medical residents for meaningful use for improved patient care and increased quality of the health of the community.
Implementation of Best Practices in the Delivery of Healthcare: Center for Quality Improvement (p. 1324)
Center for Quality Improvement to be charged with identifying, developing, and implementing standards “for health information technology used in the collection and reporting if quality information (including for purposes of the demonstration of meaningful use of certified electronic health record (EHR) technologu by physicians and hospitals under the Medicare program…”
Assistant Secretary for Health Information (p. 1335)
This new position will be responsible for collecting and reporting on key health indicators regarding the “Nation’s health and the performance of the Nation’s health care.” Will coordinate with “the head of the Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to ensure optimal use of health information technology.”
Community-Based Collaborative Care Network Program (p. 1447)
One of the programs to expand access to healthcare, this one is focused on reducing unnecessary use of emergency departments through a ”health information technology network to track patients across collaborative networks.”
National Medical Device Registry: Electronic Exchange and Use in Certified Electronic Health Records of Unique Device Indentifiers (UID) (p. 1509)
This amends the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act to “establish a national medical device registry …to facilitate analysis of postmarket safety and outcomes data on each covered device.” While there may be exceptions, each covered device is to be identified by “type, model, and serial number or other unique identifier,” and indicated in EHRs and via information exchange.
Health Service for Urban Indians (p. 1877)
Grants to support health information technology to improve individual and community health of Urban Indians.
“Affordable Health Care for America Act” (1990 pages):
(AHCAA) US H.R. 3962 (pdf)
November 12, 2009