PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jun 16, 2005
Health Technology to Enhance Quality Act of 2005 or the Health TEQ Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish the Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology to carry out programs and activities to develop a nationwide interoperable health information technology infrastructure.
Requires the Coordinator to establish a permanent Electronic Health Information Standards Development Working Group to review existing standards, identify deficiencies, and recommend modifications. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to review and provide for the adoption by the federal government of any recommended modification or standard.
Requires the Secretary to develop criteria to: (1) ensure uniform and consistent implementation of any standards voluntarily adopted by private entities; and (2) ensure and certify hardware, software, and support services compliance with adopted standards.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Requires the Secretary, acting through the Coordinator, to direct and coordinate federal spending related to the electronic exchange of health information and the adoption of recommendations of the Working Group.
Prohibits any federal agency from expending federal funds to purchase hardware, software, or support services for implementation of a standard related to the electronic exchange of health information that is not an adopted standard.
Allows the Secretary to award grants for the implementation of regional or local health information plans. Requires the Secretary to establish: (1) a safe harbor for group purchasing of hardware, software, and support services; and (2) guidelines that permit certain arrangements between health plans and issuers and health care providers.
Requires the heads of relevant federal agencies to adopt and review uniform health care quality measures.
Requires the Secretary to establish a Medicare value based purchasing pilot program and authorize waivers for states to establish value based purchasing programs for state Medicaid programs.
People & committees
Sen. Frist, William H. [R-TN] · R–TN
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8591)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8393-8394)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S6754-6758)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6752-6754)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 15, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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