Sebelius Boosts Blumenthal's HIT Authority

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has delegated administrative responsibility to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology for most of the grant and loan funding sections of the HITECH Act within the economic stimulus law. The action, detailed in a notice published Aug. 18 in the Federal Register, does not cover the Medicare/Medicaid incentive programs for meaningful use of electronic health records systems. National Coordinator David Blumenthal, M.D., now has administrative authority for all but one part of Sections 3011 through 3017 of Subtitle B, "Incentives for the Use of Health Information Technology," in the HITECH Act. The exception is Section 3012 (c) (5), under which the HHS secretary may provide financial support to health information technology regional extension centers. Blumenthal has administrative authority for other extension center activities under that section.