iHealth and Technology
SB 1338 by Sen. Elaine Alquist (D-San Jose) on May 9 was amended to include a provision that would launch the California Health Care Infrastructure Authority after receiving appropriate statutory authorization. The bill would require the Department of Health Services and the Health and Human Services Agency to work with the Department of Managed Health Care to establish CHCIA, an agency that would work to improve health care quality in the state and reduce costs through the use of health information technology. The legislation would mandate that CHCIA develop, deliver and annually update a plan to provide electronic health records for all state residents (Bill text, 5/9). The bill was re-referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee (Bill history, 5/9).
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