States to Take Up Health in 2012

The topic of health, including electronic records and health information exchanges, is among the top 12 legislative issues state lawmakers will grapple with in 2012, predicts the National Conference of State Legislatures.

States' lawmakers will focus on how to nudge health-care providers toward adopting certified EHRs, the bipartisan group said in a recent news release. Lawmakers also will seek to build health information exchanges that allow providers to access those EHRs, it noted.

"HIEs function like an online file cabinet where your medical record is securely stored, and can be accessed by any doctor or health care professional you visit," the legislative group said. "By mid-year 2012, every state should have Medicaid EHR Incentive programs in place and will be working toward building an HIE by late 2014 or early 2015 as required by deadlines attached to federal cooperative agreements."

The group also noted that the U.S. Supreme Court would hear arguments this spring on the federal health reform law, formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. A ruling is not expected until the summer, so states will have to move forward with health information exchanges and other requirements of the law, the organization said.