Most people agree that the conversion of medical records to electronic media is a good idea, but there are some who are wary of investing in the technology. The concept is attractive because it will allow hospitals and doctors to cut through red tape regarding patient care, saving millions of dollars. The unease lies in the specific wording used in a current bill sitting before Congress.
In the current bill before Congress, some doctors are eligible for bonus Medicare payments under certain circumstances. All they need to do is show that they have used electronic medical records in a 'meaningful' way. The term 'meaningful' is not defined in the bill, thus leaving things wide open for abuse and fraud. So some are justifiably balking at the bill as it is currently written.
The $87 billion dollar bill allocates more Medicaid money to the states, but it doesn't appear to hold the states accountable for ensuring the tax money is wisely spent. House Republicans recently voiced their concerns in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and many in the health care industry agree with them.
The pessimism being expressed by Republicans and some health care professionals is not that surprising. The health care system today is broken, and everyone agrees with that. How best to fix it is at issue. There is concern among some that spending too much money too fast will allow the changes to progress in an inefficient and wasteful way.
Both sides have good arguments, and the issue does need to be address. If we spend money now on medical information technology with no oversight, then we will have wasted billions of dollars on a broken system that remains broken. However if we don't invest the money, then we will still be behind technologically. We will continue to follow the issue as it works its way through the legislature.
In the current bill before Congress, some doctors are eligible for bonus Medicare payments under certain circumstances. All they need to do is show that they have used electronic medical records in a 'meaningful' way. The term 'meaningful' is not defined in the bill, thus leaving things wide open for abuse and fraud. So some are justifiably balking at the bill as it is currently written.
The $87 billion dollar bill allocates more Medicaid money to the states, but it doesn't appear to hold the states accountable for ensuring the tax money is wisely spent. House Republicans recently voiced their concerns in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and many in the health care industry agree with them.
The pessimism being expressed by Republicans and some health care professionals is not that surprising. The health care system today is broken, and everyone agrees with that. How best to fix it is at issue. There is concern among some that spending too much money too fast will allow the changes to progress in an inefficient and wasteful way.
Both sides have good arguments, and the issue does need to be address. If we spend money now on medical information technology with no oversight, then we will have wasted billions of dollars on a broken system that remains broken. However if we don't invest the money, then we will still be behind technologically. We will continue to follow the issue as it works its way through the legislature.
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