Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee negotiators seek to revise a health care information technology bill to address concerns from physician groups about a provision that would establish a physician rating system based on federal claims data, CongressDaily reports.

According to a senior Republican aide, negotiators seek to revise the rating system to adjust for patient risk factors before public release of the ratings. In addition, negotiators seek to involve health care providers in the preparation of quality measurement reports to ensure that they account for patient risk factors, the aide said.

A coalition of 36 physician groups, such as the American Medical Association, on Nov. 9 sent a letter to senators that said the use of federal claims data would result in an inaccurate rating system. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons sent a similar letter to senators on Nov. 13. The physician groups recommended a rating system based on clinical data.

John Hedstrom, assistant director of government relations for the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, said that the proposed revisions are inadequate because federal claims data do not allow for adjustment for patient risk factors and are "rife with inaccuracies."

Michael Hogan, director of government relations for the group, added, "Billing data won't tell you whether the patient has diabetes or many clinical risk factors that make them difficult patients, and the doctors that treat the sickest patients get punished for it."

Negotiators by next month hope to complete the proposed revisions -- which have support from the Service Employees International Union, AARP and health care companies -- and move the bill to the Senate floor for approval by unanimous consent (Edney, CongressDaily, 11/26).

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