Calif. mulls EMR legislation

In Sacramento, lawmakers are considering two bills today which could have a major impact on the health IT landscape in California and, by extension, the rest of the country. The first, SB-1672, offers tax breaks to hospitals if they establish EMR systems. The second, SB-1671, would issue smartcards to Medi-Cal participants, enabling the state's healthcare system to track patients who often slip through the cracks. An added benefit, says sponsor Abel Maldonado (R), is that the smartcards would help the state crack down on waste, fraud and abuse.

- read this article from the Pasadena Star News