Government
Health care IT bill passes Senate
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 5, 2005
The Senate last month unanimously passed a bipartisan health care information technology bill that would let doctors get federal funding for IT purchases. The Wired for Health Care Quality Act would establish a funding stream of $125 million starting in fiscal year 2006 for IT grants to doctors and other health professionals. The figure would go to $150 million in 2007, after which lawmakers would decide how much to devote to the grants in each annual budget.
The House has not introduced a companion bill but is considering other pieces of health IT legislation that could be combined with the Senate bill in a conference committee.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/12/05/gvbf1205.htm.