specsaregood
12-20-2014, 10:07 AM
My SO is having to write a paper on some legislation and had a question that I couldn't really come up with a good answer to, so I told her I'd ask all you cynical folk the same one. note: she doesn't need your responses to write the paper, we just both found it strange.
Why are almost no democrats supporting this bill -- only one non-liberal and retiring dem co-sponsored it.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/5481
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in specifying the electronic health record (EHR) reporting period under EHR electronic health record technology incentive payment programs under titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, to continue through 2015 (in the case of eligible professionals) and FY2015 (in the case of eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals) to permit the use of a three-month quarter EHR reporting period to demonstrate meaningful use without regard to the payment year or the stage of meaningful use criteria involved.
In short, the terms for getting incentive payments are changing in 2015 and estimated over 50% of doctors and hospitals are not ready for it and will cease getting their incentive payments to implement electronic health records. Not only that, but those same doctors and hospitals will be getting paid LESS for medicare patients for not qualifying. The worry is that the entities that have been receiving incentives will stop using the electronic health systems or at least investing in them and that the billions already spent will have gone to waste.
Letter from the bill's sponsor:
http://ellmers.house.gov/latest-news/ellmers-leads-letter-to-hhs-secretary-burwell-on-health-it-implementation/
Signed by 29 republicans and one retiring conservative democrat.
Rep. Ellmers Unites 30 Members of Congress to Ensure
Healthcare Providers Get Needed Relief from Meaningful Use Attestation
WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following excerpts from a letter to Secretary Burwell at the Department of Health and Human Services:
“We recognize that the Meaningful Use Program has been a catalyst in the widespread adoption of health information technology across the country. However, we remain convinced that program success hinges on addressing the 2015 reporting period requirements. Specifically, we request that HHS immediately provide a shortened, 90-day Electronic Health Records (EHR) reporting period in 2015, which would give providers much-needed time to safely and effectively implement certified technology and continue their ‘meaningful use’ journey.”
“We are concerned that a full-year reporting period will complicate the forward trajectory of Meaningful Use and jeopardize the $25 billion in federal investment made to date.”
“Our constituents remain concerned that the pace and scope of change have outstripped the capacity of our nation’s hospitals and doctors to comply with program requirements. Unfortunately, the final rule, published by your department in the September 4 Federal Register, disregarded recommendations made by the vast majority of healthcare stakeholders to allow a shortened reporting period in 2015. Instead, your department is requiring a full-year, 365-day reporting period of all providers in 2015.”
In September of 2014, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a final rule regarding Meaningful Use Requirements for Electronic Health Records (EHRs). While the rule provided some relief by allowing hospitals and physicians to use old and current technology to attest for the Meaningful Use Program in 2014, it does not adequately address problems for 2015.
To ensure that the $25 billion in taxpayer dollars that has been invested in the Meaningful Use Program does not go to waste, Congresswoman Ellmers lead 30 members of Congress in sending a letter to Secretary Burwell. This letter requests that providers receive the flexibility they need to successfully attest to the Meaningful Use Program in 2015 by maintaining a 90-day reporting period. This is not a delay; it is simply maintaining the current reporting period into 2015.
By adjusting the timeline, providers would have the option to choose any three-month quarter for the EHR reporting period in 2015 to qualify for Meaningful Use. The additional time and flexibility afforded by these modifications will help hundreds of thousands of providers and thousands of hospitals meet Stage 2 requirements in an effective and safe manner.
In September of 2014, Congresswoman Renee Ellmers and Congressman Jim Matheson introduced H.R. 5481 - The Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act of 2014. This legislation would ensure that health care providers receive the flexibility they need to successfully comply with HHS’ Meaningful Use Program. The Flex-IT Act will allow providers to report their Health IT upgrades in 2015 through a 90-day reporting period as opposed to a full year.
Now, I'm not asking you if the bill is good and whatnot, but why would only GOP representatives be supporting it? I would think Democrats would want to give out money for healthcare, the Electronic health records legislation this was a result of passed in 2009 under obamas first year and a democrat controlled house. If the system is likely to fail and medicare patients are going to be offered less/worse options I would *think* they would want to try to make it succeed.
I figure there is something obvious as to why they aren't supporting it that I'm overlooking.
Why are almost no democrats supporting this bill -- only one non-liberal and retiring dem co-sponsored it.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/5481
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in specifying the electronic health record (EHR) reporting period under EHR electronic health record technology incentive payment programs under titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, to continue through 2015 (in the case of eligible professionals) and FY2015 (in the case of eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals) to permit the use of a three-month quarter EHR reporting period to demonstrate meaningful use without regard to the payment year or the stage of meaningful use criteria involved.
In short, the terms for getting incentive payments are changing in 2015 and estimated over 50% of doctors and hospitals are not ready for it and will cease getting their incentive payments to implement electronic health records. Not only that, but those same doctors and hospitals will be getting paid LESS for medicare patients for not qualifying. The worry is that the entities that have been receiving incentives will stop using the electronic health systems or at least investing in them and that the billions already spent will have gone to waste.
Letter from the bill's sponsor:
http://ellmers.house.gov/latest-news/ellmers-leads-letter-to-hhs-secretary-burwell-on-health-it-implementation/
Signed by 29 republicans and one retiring conservative democrat.
Rep. Ellmers Unites 30 Members of Congress to Ensure
Healthcare Providers Get Needed Relief from Meaningful Use Attestation
WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) released the following excerpts from a letter to Secretary Burwell at the Department of Health and Human Services:
“We recognize that the Meaningful Use Program has been a catalyst in the widespread adoption of health information technology across the country. However, we remain convinced that program success hinges on addressing the 2015 reporting period requirements. Specifically, we request that HHS immediately provide a shortened, 90-day Electronic Health Records (EHR) reporting period in 2015, which would give providers much-needed time to safely and effectively implement certified technology and continue their ‘meaningful use’ journey.”
“We are concerned that a full-year reporting period will complicate the forward trajectory of Meaningful Use and jeopardize the $25 billion in federal investment made to date.”
“Our constituents remain concerned that the pace and scope of change have outstripped the capacity of our nation’s hospitals and doctors to comply with program requirements. Unfortunately, the final rule, published by your department in the September 4 Federal Register, disregarded recommendations made by the vast majority of healthcare stakeholders to allow a shortened reporting period in 2015. Instead, your department is requiring a full-year, 365-day reporting period of all providers in 2015.”
In September of 2014, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a final rule regarding Meaningful Use Requirements for Electronic Health Records (EHRs). While the rule provided some relief by allowing hospitals and physicians to use old and current technology to attest for the Meaningful Use Program in 2014, it does not adequately address problems for 2015.
To ensure that the $25 billion in taxpayer dollars that has been invested in the Meaningful Use Program does not go to waste, Congresswoman Ellmers lead 30 members of Congress in sending a letter to Secretary Burwell. This letter requests that providers receive the flexibility they need to successfully attest to the Meaningful Use Program in 2015 by maintaining a 90-day reporting period. This is not a delay; it is simply maintaining the current reporting period into 2015.
By adjusting the timeline, providers would have the option to choose any three-month quarter for the EHR reporting period in 2015 to qualify for Meaningful Use. The additional time and flexibility afforded by these modifications will help hundreds of thousands of providers and thousands of hospitals meet Stage 2 requirements in an effective and safe manner.
In September of 2014, Congresswoman Renee Ellmers and Congressman Jim Matheson introduced H.R. 5481 - The Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act of 2014. This legislation would ensure that health care providers receive the flexibility they need to successfully comply with HHS’ Meaningful Use Program. The Flex-IT Act will allow providers to report their Health IT upgrades in 2015 through a 90-day reporting period as opposed to a full year.
Now, I'm not asking you if the bill is good and whatnot, but why would only GOP representatives be supporting it? I would think Democrats would want to give out money for healthcare, the Electronic health records legislation this was a result of passed in 2009 under obamas first year and a democrat controlled house. If the system is likely to fail and medicare patients are going to be offered less/worse options I would *think* they would want to try to make it succeed.
I figure there is something obvious as to why they aren't supporting it that I'm overlooking.