Former House Rep. pushes for health IT bill

A former Congresswoman who once championed health IT legislation unsuccessfully two years ago has come back, this time as the head of a health IT coalition pushing new measures. Former Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT), who previously served as chairwoman of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, has returned as head of the Health IT Now Coalition. Johnson is urging her former colleagues to act on HIT legislation this year, and not get sidetracked by "ancillary issues."

Among the Coalition's key goals is to further foster the process of government-backed groups setting health IT standards. Otherwise, she argues, health IT standards could end up more proprietary than open, something that could take benefits away from patients, she says. The group would also see federal legislation designed to help accelerate the pace of HIT development and use.

To learn more about the Coalition's efforts:
- visit the Coalition's website
- read this Modern Healthcare article (reg. req.)

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