Released: September 14, 2006

E-health records bill passes House subcommittee

The U.S. House of Reprentatives federal workforce subcommittee approved a bill yesterday that would require insurance companies in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program to make an electronic health record available to enrollees upon request.

The bill goes to the House Government Reform Committee for consideration. Rep. Jon Porter (R-Nev.), the subcommittee chairman and bill’s sponsor, said electronic records will improve health-care delivery and help reduce medical errors. Companies would not be allowed to pass along costs of providing the records in premium increases, according to the bill. [Source: Stephen Barr, “Federal Diary,” Washington Post]