(CNSNews.com) – New federal regulations issued this week stipulate that the electronic health records--that all Americans are supposed to have by 2014 under the terms of the stimulus law that President Barack Obama signed last year--must record not only the traditional measures of height and weight, but also the Body Mass Index: a measure of obesity.
The obesity-rating regulation states that every American's electronic health record must: “Calculate body mass index. Automatically calculate and display body mass index (BMI) based on a patient’s height and weight.”
The law also requires that these electronic health records be available--with appropriate security measures--on a national exchange.
The new regulations are one of the first steps towards the government’s goal of universal adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) by 2014, as outlined in the 2009 economic stimulus law. Specifically, the regulations issued on Tuesday by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Dr. David Blumenthal, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, define the "meaningful use" of electronic records. Under the stimulus law, health care providers--including doctors and hospitals--must establish "meaningful use" of EHRs by 2014 in order to qualify for federal subsidies. After that, they will be subjected to penalties in the form of diminished Medicare and Medicaid payments for not establishing "meaningful use" of EHRs.
Section 3001 of the stimulus law says: "The National Coordinator shall, in consultation with other appropriate Federal agencies (including the National Institute of Standards and Technology), update the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan (developed as of June 3, 200 to include specific objectives, milestones, and metrics with respect to the following: (i) The electronic exchange and use of health information and the enterprise integration of such information.‘‘(ii) The utilization of an electronic health record for each person in the United States by 2014."
Under this mandate in the stimulus law, Secretary Sebelius issued a regulation--developed by Dr. Blumenthal--that requires that all EHRs keep track of a person’s Body Mass Index (BMI) score. Body Mass Index is a ratio between a person’s weight and height, and is used to determine whether or not someone is overweight or obese. It is the preferred method of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for measuring obesity.
Sounds like a great directive! It's way overdue. The medical profession has been asking for similar prosedures for years.
The medical community has been blamed for many medical mistakes made when a patients medical history is not available in an emergency situation, or the history is lost.
The medical procedure may be the right course for many patients but with out the actual facts of a persons medical history, a doctor is left with the choice of not treating an emergency situation while he waits for records, or treating with the best practices for the most patients. A great step forward for the entire medical profession!
Thank you Barack Hussein Obama!
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Why would they want your BMI? Could it be to reduce your medical care under the health-care bill if the panel believes that you don't deserve certain procedures do to being overweight?
BMI Categories: * Underweight = <18.5 * Normal weight = 18.5–24.9 * Overweight = 25–29.9 * Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
AMA WATCH CENTRAL You won't believe what Obama's cooking up now ... Family chef elevated to post as 'senior policy adviser' Posted: July 15, 2010 10:15 pm Eastern
Assistant White House Chef Sam Kass prepares winter citrus salad for tonight's Governors' Dinner at a preview in the White House kitchen in Washington on February 22, 2009. (UPI Photo/Kevin Dietsch) Photo via Newscom Photo via Newscom
You've seen the reports about Van Jones, President Obama's onetime "green jobs czar," and Cass Sunstein, his equally volatile "regulatory czar," and Fox News show host Glenn Beck has put together a list of dozens of such appointees.
Now here's the newest White House promotion: "Health food czar" Sam Kass.
"In a comical move even for a czar-happy president who has rewarded dozens of cronies with distinguished titles, the White House has named the Obamas' personal Chicago cook as 'Senior Policy Adviser for Healthy Food Initiatives,'" reports the Washington government watchdog Judicial Watch.
"It's no joke, even though it sounds like a bad one. The Chicago chef's rapid ascension ... has been kept under the radar for the last month," Judicial Watch said.
Currently only my doctor has that information and now the government wants it too and if you're considered obese there will be procedures you won't be eligible to receive IMHO.
All anyone has to look at for inspiration is MRS BHO's behind - I'm sure that BMI is of biblical proportions, just like Barney Franks - and Madam Botox Barbie - pre-injection
World Net Daily... ~WorldNetDaily (WND) is an American web site that publishes news and associated content from a U.S. conservative perspective.
CNS NEWS... ~The CNSNews.com (or Cybercast News Service), formerly called the Conservative News Service, is an American news website owned by the Media Research Center. ~Media Research Center The Media Research Center (MRC) is a content analysis organization based in Alexandria, Virginia, founded in 1987 by conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III.
If all you read is Right Wing Propaganda, all you will know is Right Wing Propaganda.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Yanno, I think Mike is just pissed cause the conservatives have the cajones to publish stuff before his friends at the left-wing outlets. When conservative media gets the message out, it embarrasses the rest of them to actually tell the story, days, weeks or months later.
It's so much fun to watch some obscure Right Wing Fear site, issue an apocalyptic prediction or invented news story...
...then watch the Fear and Paranoia spread like the plague across the blogosphere! (It all ends in a week or two, but by then there is a new batch of FEAR HATE & PARANOIA!)
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
The left doesn't want we the people to know what this progressive radical left wing government is doing because they know that it fires up normal people to vote against their agenda.
Lets see, Obama said no abortion with federal money, wouldn't raise taxes on anyone making under $250,000, if we pass stimulus bill unemployment will not go over 8%, and Health-Care bill will lower the cost of health-care. After all these whoppers being told by Barack Obama why should anyone believe or trust anything this administration says now or in the future.
The left doesn't want we the people to know what this progressive radical left wing government is doing because they know that it fires up normal people to vote against their agenda.
Shadow makes a good Conservative Sheep... Just a hint of a conspiracy and he is already foaming at the mouth in anticipation of the NEXT Conspiracy. Birthers, UFO's The Great BMI Conspiracy, Obama for govt funded Abortion in PA conspiracy... I can't wait to see what Insane Right Wing Conspiracy hits next.
(Just a quick question... When all these great Obama conspiracies turn out to be bogus... once you learn that it always was a lie... Why do you believe the next one?
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Right out of Saul Alinsky's book "if you can't disprove the facts discredit the poster". You can't dispute the fact that your idol is a chronic liar who will say anything to get his liberal progressive agenda passed and that is also an Alinsky rule, the end justifies the means as long as you accomplish the goal. Yes I'm a conservative who believes in smaller government, a balanced budget, and not spending more than you have. I don't believe in redistribution of someone else's wealth to a lazy slug who refused to get an education and make his own way in the world.
to include specific objectives, milestones, and metrics with respect to the following: (i) The electronic exchange and use of health information and the enterprise integration of such information.‘‘(ii) The utilization of an electronic health record for each person in the United States by 2014."
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