Encourage Your Congressional Representatives to Sign House HIT Letter - March 2, 2010

NAPH is encouraging members to ask their congressional representatives to co-sign a letter circulating in the House of Representatives that urges CMS to change its health information technology (HIT) rule. The letter, which is being spearheaded by Reps. Zack Space (D-OH), Michael Burgess (R-TX), Eliot Engel (D-NY), and Cliff Stearns (R-FL), specifically demands changes in the definition of "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHR), with the goal of helping hospitals to more realistically access HIT funding and avoid penalties. In addition, the letter urges changes to the definition of “hospital-based physicians” and the limitations on multi-campus hospitals. These changes are important to ensuring that NAPH members can maximize the amount of HIT incentive payments they are eligible to receive. The Deadline for signatures is March 5.