Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), a member of the House Rules Committee and Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, delivered the following remarks in support of H.R. 7898 and wished Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden farewell.
As Prepared for Delivery:
"I rise today in support of H.R. 7898, a bill that clarifies enforcement and investigative authorities of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services with respect to health record information blocking.
In 2016, Congress passed the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act, with the goal of closing the gap between innovation and our nation’s regulatory process. Throughout the drafting of Cures, I made it a priority to address important health information technology issues, including interoperability and information blocking.
As a physician and a patient, I am acutely aware of the frustrations surrounding the difficulty of accessing medical records.
Patients should control their own records. Yet, if a patient and their doctor have difficulty accessing those electronic health records, the patient’s care will suffer. In Cures, Congress provided the tools necessary for doctors and patients to better coordinate their care through the sharing of patient data.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology promulgated a rule that outlines what is permissible activity. This rule, which was finalized in May, aims to allow patients to seamlessly access their electronic health information.
H.R. 7898 is needed in order to ensure a smooth and effective implementation and to allow for the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services to enforce the rule.
Especially in the context of this coronavirus pandemic, I think we have all seen the importance of allowing efficient flow of a patient’s medical records so that patients and their doctors can have informed conversations about their care plans.
Also, of great importance is ensuring patient privacy is protected and information is secure. H.R. 7898 builds on the sections of Cures and encourages health care entities to adopt strong cybersecurity practices, which are critical in protecting patient data from bad actors.
Finally, I would like to point to the bipartisan and bicameral support of H.R. 7898, which was included in Title V of the Lower Health Care Costs package in the Senate. Any time both chambers and both parties can come to an agreement is a positive stride, and certainly indicates the importance of this piece of legislation.
It is for these reasons that I encourage my fellow members to vote in favor of H.R. 7898.
Lastly, I want to take a moment to thank Mr. Walden for his service as the Republican Leader for Energy and Commerce. His leadership over the last four years set the standard for leading the committee and paved the way to end the opioid crisis and much more. It will be difficult to replace you, my friend."
