Health Information Advocacy Action Items
1) KIDS Health Act: Contact your Members of Congress and urge them to support the bipartisan, bicameral Kickstarting Innovative Demonstrations Support (KIDS) Health Act. This legislation, just endorsed by AHIMA, would enable states to improve health information technology systems to better facilitate data sharing, early intervention, and care coordination across child-serving sectors. Visit the AHIMA Action Center and take part in our new campaign.
2) MATCH IT Act: HR 7379, the MATCH IT Act of 2024, continues to gain cosponsors in the US House of Representatives, with thirteen cosponsors now on the legislation. This legislation would decrease patient misidentification within the healthcare ecosystem while improving patient safety and privacy. The bill would create an industry standard definition for the term “patient match rate” — to allow measurement of patient match rates across the healthcare system — and would improve standardization of patients’ demographic elements entered into certified health IT products to ensure patients are accurately matched with the correct medical record. Want to join the effort to raise support for the bill?
- Visit the AHIMA Action Center and take part in our MATCH IT Act campaigns to encourage your members of Congress to support the bill.
- Is your healthcare organization willing to endorse the bill? Contact advocacy@ahima.org to find out how to endorse this important legislation.
3) Support the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act:
AHIMA has endorsed H.R.1477 / S.722, the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act, which would modernize 529 accounts, traditionally used to cover tuition expenses for college and graduate degrees, to include certification and credentialing costs as qualified expenses. Please write to your members of Congress and ask that they support this legislation.
4) Support the Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act:
AHIMA has endorsed S.1995, the Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act, which would create a public health infrastructure program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to modernize public health at every level. Please write to your Senators and ask that they support this legislation.
5) Support the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2024:
Contact your Members of Congress and urge them to support the bipartisan Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act. This legislation would modernize the way Medicare Advantage plans and healthcare providers use prior authorization, including reducing administrative burden and reducing delayed care.
6) Support the Health Care Workforce Innovation Act of 2024:
AHIMA asks constituents to urge their members of Congress to cosponsor HR 7307/S 4957, the Health Care Workforce Innovation Act of 2024. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would establish a grant program focused on increasing the number of allied health professionals, including health information professionals, in the workforces of underserved communities and rural areas. These grants could be used to provide education, training programs, and apprenticeships to allied health professionals. Please write to your members of Congress and ask that they support this legislation.