Health IT Now! Coalition Calls on Congress to Pass Health Information Technology

Commends House Science and Technology Committee for Holding Health IT Hearing

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Health IT Now! Coalition, co-chaired by former Sen. John Breaux and former Rep. Nancy Johnson, called on Congress once again today to pass health information technology legislation this session.

"It's time for Congress to act so that our health care system can begin to deliver to patients the many benefits we are currently missing," said former Sen. Breaux. "Americans have waited too long for the benefits of health IT- benefits that we could have right now if only Congress would act."

The coalition also commended the House Science and Technology Committee for discussing the issue of health IT at a hearing today, but insists health IT legislation include:

-- Permanence in statute for a federal responsibility to lead a public-
private process to establish standards for system interoperability,
product certification, and quality measures and an accelerated process
for standards improvement;
-- Federal financial incentives for practitioners to facilitate the
adoption of health IT, and for communities, states, and other entities
to plan HIT components and develop Health Information Exchanges;
-- Federal focus on consumer empowerment, using patient education tools to
encourage patient use of electronic health records and provider quality
information; and
-- Federal leadership of a federal-state process to resolve policy issues,
like privacy and professional licensure, central to a secure and safe
care system


"These principles should serve as guidance for any health IT legislation Congress considers," said Dr. Richard LoCicero, president of the Health IT Now! Coalition. "While we are pleased that the Science and Technology Committee is considering legislation that includes health IT, we hope that the House of Representatives will incorporate our principles into the health IT legislation they consider."

The Health IT NOW! Coalition is a nonprofit coalition based in Alexandria, VA whose membership includes patient groups, providers, and employers. Its primary focus is to promote the rapid deployment of health information technology across America by urging Congress to adopt interoperability legislation.

Visit http://www.healthitnow.org/ to learn more about the coalition, its principles and its membership.

Members include:

American Academy of Nursing
American Homeowners Grassroots Alliance
American Society of Clinical Oncology
The Boeing Company
Consumers for Competitive 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
Parkinson's Action Network
Research!America
RetireSafe
Seniors Coalition
US Oncology
Verizon
Women Work!
World Institute on Disability


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.