453 
‘‘CHAPTER 34—TAXES ON CERTAIN INSURANCE POLICIES’’. 
(C) EFFECTIVE
DATE.—The amendments 
made by this subsection shall apply with respect 
to policies and plans for portions of policy or 
plan years beginning on or after October 1, 
2010. 
SEC. 905. IMPLEMENTATION OF HEALTH INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY (IT) UNDER MEDICARE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than January 1, 2010, 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit 
to Congress a report that includes— 
(1) a plan to develop and implement a health in-
formation technology (health IT) system for all health 
care providers under the Medicare program that 
meets the specifications described in subsection (b); 
and 
(2) an analysis of the impact, feasibility, and 
costs associated with the use of health information 
technology in medically underserved communities. 
(b) PLAN
SPECIFICATION.—The specifications de-
scribed in this subsection, with respect to a health informa-
tion technology system described in subsection (a), are the 
following: 
(1) The system protects the privacy and security 
of individually identifiable health information. 
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(2) The system maintains and provides per-
mitted access to health information in an electronic 
format (such as through computerized patient records 
or a clinical data repository). 
(3) The system utilizes interface software that al-
lows for interoperability. 
(4) The system includes clinical decision sup-
port. 
(5) The system incorporates e-prescribing and 
computerized physician order entry. 
(6) The system incorporates patient tracking and 
reminders. 
(7) The system utilizes technology that is open 
source (if available) or technology that has been devel-
oped by the government. 
The report shall include an analysis of the financial and 
administrative resources necessary to develop such system 
and recommendations regarding the level of subsidies need-
ed for all such health care providers to adopt the system. 
SEC. 906. DEVELOPMENT, REPORTING, AND USE OF HEALTH 
CARE MEASURES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part E of title XVIII of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x et seq.) is amended by insert-
ing after section 1889 the following: 
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‘‘DEVELOPMENT, REPORTING, AND USE OF HEALTH CARE 
MEASURES 
‘‘SEC. 1890. (a) FOSTERING
DEVELOPMENT
OF 
HEALTH CARE MEASURES.—The Secretary shall designate, 
and have in effect an arrangement with, a single organiza-
tion (such as the National Quality Forum) that meets the 
requirements described in subsection (c), under which such 
organization provides the Secretary with advice on, and 
recommendations with respect to, the key elements and pri-
orities of a national system for establishing health care 
measures. The arrangement shall be effective beginning no 
sooner than January 1, 2008, and no later than September 
30, 2008. 
‘‘(b) DUTIES.—The duties of the organization des-
ignated under subsection (a) (in this title referred to as the 
‘designated organization’) shall, in accordance with sub-
section (d), include— 
‘‘(1) establishing and managing an integrated 
national strategy and process for setting priorities 
and goals in establishing health care measures; 
‘‘(2) coordinating the development and specifica-
tions of such measures; 
‘‘(3) establishing standards for the development 
and testing of such measures; 
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‘‘(4) endorsing national consensus health care 
measures; and 
‘‘(5) advancing the use of electronic health 
records for automating the collection, aggregation, 
and transmission of measurement information. 
‘‘(c) REQUIREMENTS DESCRIBED.—For purposes of 
subsection (a), the requirements described in this subsection, 
with respect to an organization, are the following: 
‘‘(1) PRIVATE NONPROFIT.—The organization is 
a private nonprofit entity governed by a board and 
an individual designated as president and chief exec-
utive officer. 
‘‘(2) BOARD MEMBERSHIP.—The members of the 
board of the organization include representatives of— 
‘‘(A) health care providers or groups rep-
resenting such providers; 
‘‘(B) health plans or groups representing 
health plans; 
‘‘(C) groups representing health care con-
sumers; 
‘‘(D) health care purchasers and employers 
or groups representing such purchasers or em-
ployers; and 
‘‘(E) health care practitioners or groups 
representing practitioners. 
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‘‘(3) OTHER MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS.—The 
membership of the organization is representative of 
individuals with experience with— 
‘‘(A) urban health care issues; 
‘‘(B) safety net health care issues; 
‘‘(C) rural and frontier health care issues; 
and 
‘‘(D) health care quality and safety issues. 
‘‘(4) OPEN AND TRANSPARENT.—With respect to 
matters related to the arrangement described in sub-
section (a), the organization conducts its business in 
an open and transparent manner and provides the 
opportunity for public comment. 
‘‘(5) VOLUNTARY CONSENSUS STANDARDS SET-
TING ORGANIZATION.—The organization operates as a 
voluntary consensus standards setting organization as 
defined for purposes of section 12(d) of the National 
Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 
(Public Law 104–113) and Office of Management and 
Budget Revised Circular A–119 (published in the 
Federal Register on February 10, 1998). 
‘‘(6) EXPERIENCE.—The organization has at 
least 7 years experience in establishing national con-
sensus standards. 
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