Rep. Nancy Johnson’s (R-CT) House Ways and Means Health subcommittee endorsed her Health Information Technology Promotion Act, H.R. 4157, by an 8-5 vote yesterday. (Hat tip to my colleague Theresa Defino. This bill would enshrine in law various HHS HIT initiatives such as ONCHIT. It also would fast track transition to a new electronic claims format (X12 5010 837 – April 1 2009) and the ICD-10 diagnosis and hospital procedure coding system (October 1, 2009). I understand that these are expensive IT projects for health plans. The House leadership may be planning to have the House vote on this bill during the body’s Health Week which reportedly begins June 18.

Sen. Ensign’s Commerce Committee will be holding an HIT acceleration hearing on June 21.