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Health Information Technology Lobby Group Rallies Support For Certification Group; Critics Question Group's Ties
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society has asked HHS to give the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology authorization to determine which electronic health records systems can receive funding from the economic stimulus package, the Washington Post reports. In a letter dated April 27 to HHS officials, HIMSS officials wrote, "To ensure continuity, recognize CCHIT as the certifying body" of EHRs.Some health care industry officials have raised issue with giving CCHIT the responsibility of certifying EHR products because of the commission"s associations with various IT and health care companies, the Post reports. CCHIT has ties with HIMSS, which played a role in its inception in 2004 and is now managed by Mark Leavitt, the former chief medical officer of HIMSS. In 2005, the commission received a three-year, $7.5 million contract from HHS.According the Post, Internal Revenue Service tax documents show that HIMSS technically paid Leavitt"s salary through 2008, which was reimbursed by CCHIT. However, Leavitt said he is accountable only to CCHIT"s board members and he "was not supervised by HIMSS." He said he expects CCHIT will be "the body or one of several certifying bodies that are recognized" by HHS in part because it already is tasked with certifying health IT products. According to Leavitt, some of the commission"s critics are IT vendors who have failed to meet CCHIT"s standards. The Post reports that the provision in the stimulus package that requires health care providers to demonstrate "meaningful use" of health IT has become an issue because federal officials, IT systems vendors, and physicians and patient advocates have not been able to reach a consensus on the definition of meaningful use. Under the provision, providers must demonstrate meaningful use of health IT in order to receive Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments for adopting the technology (O"Harrow, Washington Post, 5/21). Blumenthal
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Experts At Leading Vision Health Care Organization Offer 5 Summer Eye Safety Tips
As summer vacations begin, experts at Lighthouse International urge everyone to take eye safety seriously and prevent damage from the sun that could be permanent. Lighthouse International, based in New York City, is the 104 year old non-profit leader in vision health.
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Economic Recession Prompting California Women To Seek Health Care In Clinics
The current economic recession has prompted more women in California to seek health care -- including routine gynecological exams, contraceptives and abortions -- at clinics and family planning agencies, the Los Angeles Times reports. Many of the services, such as contraception and abortion, are related to avoiding or ending pregnancies as women experience job losses and subsequent loss of insurance coverage amid the recession, according to the Times. For example, Planned Parenthood clinics report that they are performing a record number of abortions, while other women"s health agencies report higher call volumes, more visits and additional requests for abortion funding. Clinic officials also report that women increasingly are switching their contraceptive methods to longer-term options than can last five to 10 years.According to the Times, the increased demand for reproductive health services -- particularly abortions funded by Medi-Cal, the state"s Medicaid program -- are putting a strain on some clinics. In addition, paying for an abortion can be difficult for women who already are struggling financially. The Times reports that as women attempt to raise the money for abortions, thereby postponing the procedure, the cost increases from about $450 during the first trimester to $1,200 during the second trimester. Delays in abortion funding also can cause more difficult choices for some women. Destiny Lopez -- executive director of ACCESS, a group that helps low-income women seeking reproductive health care -- said that some women who decided to terminate an early pregnancy are forced to decide between a second-trimester abortion or continuing an unwanted pregnancy because of funding delays. "It"s not like women are making these decision at the drop of a hat," she said, adding, "They are considering their life situations."Stephanie Poggi, executive director of the National Network of Abortion Funds, said, "We are seeing poor women get poorer and we"re also seeing low-wage women become poor," adding, "The economy is definitely having an impact. ... We see a greater demand for assistance." According to clinic officials, pregnant women who call in for assistance increasingly are considering the costs of raising a child when deciding how to proceed with their pregnancies. Lopez said, "Women are really having to make thoughtful decisions whether now is the right time to get pregnant or not."According to a recent Gallup Organization survey conducted on behalf of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, nearly one in 10 married women reported that the recession is a contributing factor in a decision to postpone a planned pregnancy; one in five women reported being more concerned now than one year ago about an unintended pregnancy; and about one in five women reported being more conscientious about using contraceptives (Yoshino, Los Angeles Times, 5/20).
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Obama Readies Stronger Hand On Health Reform, Plans Meetings With Players

The next two weeks of a health reform fight may prove pivotal for President Barack Obama"s image and his ability to use his popularity to get things done, The Washington Post reports. "With skepticism about the president"s health-care reform effort mounting on Capitol Hill - even within his own party - the White House has launched a new phase of its strategy designed to dramatically increase public pressure on Congress: all Obama, all the time. Senior White House aides promise "an aggressive public and private schedule" for Obama as he presses his case for reform, including a prime-time news conference on Wednesday, a trip to Cleveland, and heavy use of Internet video to broadcast his message beyond the reach of the traditional media" (Shear and Murray, 7/20). Obama planned a roundtable discussion with health stakeholders Monday at the Children"s National Medical Center in Washington, Roll Call reports. "The appearance is part of what is becoming a near-daily drumbeat of messages on health care by Obama, who is pressing Congress to pass a health care overhaul before it adjourns for the August recess. The president last week held a series of meetings on the matter with lawmakers and then Friday appeared suddenly at the White House to push for legislation. Obama"s Saturday weekly address was devoted to encouraging supporters to back his views on health reform" (Koffler, 7/19). The White House also softened a bit on its August timeline for reform, Roll Call reports in a separate story: "Asked on CNN"s "State of the Union" whether the timeline for passage would be met, Peter Orszag, White House budget director said: "It"s still the goal. We think we can make that"" (Dennis, 7/19). Orszag also couldn"t rule out the possibility that some health reform dollars would be used on abortions, The New York Times reports: ""I am not prepared to say explicitly that right now. It"s obviously a controversial issue, and it"s one of the questions that is playing out in this debate,"" Orszag said. "Under the House bill, for example, most insurers would have to provide an "essential benefits package" specified by the health and human services secretary, who would receive recommendations from a federal advisory committee. Opponents of abortion want Congress to prohibit inclusion of abortion in that benefits package, while advocates of abortion rights say the package should be left to medical professionals to determine" (Pear and Liptak, 7/19). Obama also used his Saturday address to bolster support for reform, The Associated Press reports: ""This is what the debate in Congress is all about: whether we"ll keep talking and tinkering and letting this problem fester as more families and businesses go under and more Americans lose their coverage," Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address. "Or whether we"ll seize this opportunity - one we might not have again for generations - and finally pass health insurance reform this year, in 2009"" (Elliot, 7/18). The Hill reports that Republican Whip Jon Kyl of Arizona, continued the GOP"s assault on Obama"s reform push by insisting it will "increase government spending, unfairly raise taxes, and fall short of delivering real reform of the healthcare system" (Allen, 7/18). This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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