Bill to reduce EHR burden on providers clears subcommittee

The House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee today approved AHA-supported legislation (H.R. 3120) that would remove from the HITECH Act of 2009 a requirement that the Health and Human Services Secretary make meaningful use standards for electronic health records more stringent over time. “Current regulations raise the bar on meaningful use requirements in Stage 3,” noted AHA Executive Vice President Tom Nickels in a letter of support for the bill, sponsored by Reps. Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI). “These rules contain provisions that are challenging, if not impossible, to meet and require use of immature technology standards. Your bill would provide much-needed relief to hospitals as they work to ensure patients receive high-quality care.” As advocated by the AHA, the recent inpatient prospective payment system final rule made Stage 3 optional in 2018, but it is expected to be mandatory in 2019.