Jack Reed: “I join several of my colleagues in introducing the Better Healthcare Through Information Technology Act. This bill…”

“I join several of my colleagues in introducing the Better Healthcare Through Information Technology Act. This bill represents a strong step forward in modernizing our health care system and paving the way to greater efficiency and quality in the delivery of care. Health care costs are becoming an enormous drain on employers, employees, and the Nation as a whole. More Americans are uninsured, and premiums for health insurance are increasing at an unsustainable rate of 20, 30, and even 40 percent per year. Health care reform is needed to address the huge concerns of the American people and our Nation's businesses. Indeed, the fact that companies like GM are losing competitiveness and laying off 25,000 workers, in part due to health costs, is a strong sign that our current health care system is flawed. Solving these challenges will require new, bold policy initiatives to make health care coverage more affordable for employers, employees, and all Americans. Comprehensive efforts at change must be considered in our approach to health care reform. As a start, there are numerous improvements that can--and should--be made to fully pull the industry into the information age with the widespread adoption of information technology. It is unfortunate, but not surprising, that many of our Nation's other systems, such as our banking systems, are decades ahead in providing a seamless national network facilitating nearly instantaneous and universal access to information.…”