Washington Hearing on Health IT: Short Synopsis

I read a recent article in the Washington Internet Daily that provided a synopsis of a House Small Business subcommittee on regulations and health care. Witnesses asserted that the Recovery Act's provisions for adopting health IT isn't necessarily a good fit for small practices and specialists. While we disagree, I understand what the witnesses are trying to say. They are asserting that small practices and specialists need something more, but what? The witnesses (people who I don't know, or else I wouldn't keep referring to them as witnesses) urged a broad definition of meaningful use that would essential cover many providers as possible.

David Blumenthal, national health IT coordinator at the Health and Human Services Department, said his office understands "that small practices carry an extra burden." He also said HHS doesn't intend to compel other types of health care providers to adopt health IT. It isn't compelling doctors and hospitals to use health IT, just offering incentives and penalties through Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements.

But that system worries Chairwoman Kathy Dahlkemper, D- Pa. She said she fears doctors will look at the potential penalties on top of already small Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements and decide to turn away from those patients altogether. The $44.7 billion in incentive payments -- up from an original estimate of $20 billion -- should ease the way for those providers to purchase health IT systems, Blumenthal said. The regional extension centers will provide hands-on technical help in implementing the systems, he said. "It's certainly our hope those penalties will never go into effect."

To help small practices meet the start-up costs of adopting health IT, Dahlkemper introduced legislation Wednesday creating a loan program at the Small Business Administration. The SBA would back private loans of up to $350,000 for a single provider and $2 million for a group. The bill authorizes $10 billion for the program.

The committee highlighted many important points, for example, pediatrician's low adoption of EMR, 50+ definitions of "meaningful use" (state-specific), and interoperability. The article does a good job at summarizing the hearing.

Source: Leslie Cantu, Health IT Provisions Don't Address All Situations, Hearing Told, Washington Internet Daily Vol. 10 No. 121 (June 24, 2009)