House Panel Passes Electronic Records Legislation
The House Government Reform Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce and Agency Organization on Wednesday passed a bill (HR 4859) that would authorize the Office of Personnel Management to require health insurers to establish two forms of electronic health records for the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, CongressDaily reports.
The first form of EHRs would include information currently tracked by health insurers - such as hospital and physician visits, claims information and prescription drug records - and FEHBP members could access them within four years of passage of the legislation.
The second from of EHR would include personal health information - such as medical history, symptoms and diet - and FEHBP members would administer them.
The bill, co-sponsored by subcommittee Chair Jon Porter (R-Nev.) and Rep. William Clay (D-Mo.), would require health insurers to comply with HIPAA privacy rules in the administration of the EHRs (CongressDaily, 9/14).