LEADING HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATIONS CONGRATULATE CHAIRMAN THOMAS ON APPROVAL OF H.R. 4157

Washington, DC, June 28—A group of leading healthcare associations today congratulated House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas (R-CA) and Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Nancy Johnson (R-CT) upon the Committee’s approval of important health information technology legislation that would prevent further delay in adopting a modernized health information coding system.

The Ways and Means Committee-approved legislation – the “Health Information Technology Promotion Act of 2006” (H.R. 4157) – calls for the implementation of the new coding system, known as ICD-10, by October, 2009.

The healthcare associations – AdvaMed, the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), the American Hospital Association (AHA), the Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA), the Federation of American Hospitals (FAH), Premiere Inc., and the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) – note that there exists a strong body of evidence indicating that ICD-10 provides better information needed to meet the demands of an increasingly global and electronic healthcare environment. They indicate that ICD-10 provides more accurate and detailed clinical information that can improve quality measurement and patient safety while allowing for more accurate reimbursement, thereby identifying and reducing fraud. Also, they note that ICD-10 will help society to reap the full benefits of investment in electronic health records (EHRs) and interoperable information networks.

The ICD-9 coding system currently in use was developed more than 30 years ago and no longer reflects current knowledge of disease processes, contemporary medical terminology, or the modern practice of medicine. ICD-9 is running out of appropriate codes to accurately track, identify, and analyze new medical services and technologies and emerging public health threats such as avian flu.

The National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) first recognized the need to replace ICD-9 in the early 1990s and made a formal recommendation to implement ICD-10 coding in November 2003. The healthcare associations believe that the current proposed October 2009 implementation deadline is long overdue and reflects a realistic compromise between the demand for better data and the time needed to complete the transition.

Congress must act now, they note. Only with a declared ICD-10 implementation deadline can the field begin to dedicate resources required to complete the detailed planning and development process. Continuing to delay the positive impact of improved data because of an unwillingness to tackle the required planning now is unacceptable.

For more information on ICD-10, go to www.ahima.org/icd10/.

About AdvaMed
AdvaMed member companies produce the medical devices, diagnostic products and health information systems that are transforming health care through earlier disease detection, less invasive procedures and more effective treatments. Our members produce nearly 90 percent of the health care technology purchased annually in the United States and more than 50 percent purchased annually around the world. AdvaMed members range from the largest to the smallest medical technology innovators and companies. For more information, visit www.advamed.org.

About AHIMA
AHIMA is the premier association of health information management (HIM) professionals whose more than 52,000 members are dedicated to the effective management of personal health information needed to deliver quality healthcare to the public. Founded in 1928 to improve the quality of medical records, AHIMA is committed to advancing the HIM profession in an increasingly electronic and global environment through leadership in advocacy, education, certification, and lifelong learning. For information about AHIMA you can visit www.ahima.org.

About the AHA
The AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to health improvement of their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which include almost 4,700 hospitals, health care systems and other providers of care and 31,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA Web site at www.aha.org.

About AMIA
AMIA is an organization of leaders shaping the future of health information technology in the United States and abroad. AMIA is dedicated to the development and application of medical informatics in support of patient care, teaching, research, and health care administration. Complete information about AMIA is available at: www.amia.org.

About the FAH
FAH is the national representative of investor-owned or managed hospitals and health systems. Our members include general community and teaching hospitals in urban and rural areas as well as rehabilitation, long-term acute care, cancer, and psychiatric hospitals. For more information, visit www.fah.org.

About MDMA
MDMA is a national trade association representing the entrepreneurial, innovative sector of the medical device industry. MDMA's mission is to promote public health and improve patient care through the advocacy of innovative, research-driven medical device technology. For more information, visit www.medicaldevices.org.

About Premier Inc.
Premier Inc. is a healthcare alliance entirely owned by more than 200 of the nation’s leading not-for-profit hospitals and healthcare systems. These organizations operate or are affiliated with nearly 1,500 hospitals and more than 38,500 other healthcare sites. Premier Inc. helps hospitals accelerate performance on both clinical outcomes and supply chain costs. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, Premier has offices in Charlotte, NC, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.premierinc.com.