A group of senators raised concerns on Wednesday about a report that concluded the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services does not adequately oversee the $32.7 billion electronic health record meaningful use incentive program.
Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) were among the senators who responded to the report from the Department of Health and Human Services inspector general.
“Encouraging the use of electronic health care records by doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers is about improving care for patients,” Alexander, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said. “The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should be doing everything it can to prevent and stop the fraud and abuse that undermine this crucial innovation in the healthcare industry and put Medicare at risk of overpaying for care.”
Electronic records are vital to the future of the healthcare system, Roberts noted, but the system must be implemented in a “thorough and conscientious” manner.
A group of senators released a white paper in April that cited concerns with the federal government’s information technology policy and its inability to prevent fraud and abuse.
“It is particularly troubling that the issues raised today are not new, but echo those highlighted by my colleagues and I last year,” Burr said. “Today’s report is another example of the administration falling short when it comes to implementation of IT initiatives and only increases my concerns regarding the security of consumer’s information under the Affordable Care Act…”
Coburn said he and his colleagues would continue to work to provide oversight that ensures CMS takes steps to protect taxpayers and patients.