Senate Bill Would Modernize Public Health IT Infrastructure

A bipartisan Senate bill introduced this week would invest $100 million per year in modernizing the public health IT infrastructure in the United States. The Saving Lives Through Better Data Act, introduced by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and Angus King (I-ME), would expand public health data sharing among agencies and boost system interoperability. “Our public health data systems are stuck in the past, hurting our ability to respond quickly to dangerous health threats and crises like the opioid epidemic. There is an opportunity to improve information sharing across these data systems, health care providers, and health officials at the state, local, and federal levels in order to improve care, save lives, and better confront the public health threats that we face today,” said Kaine. Specifically, the bill would earmark $100 million per year through fiscal year 2024 to do the following: Award grants to public health departments to improve data collection and analysis, simplify provider reporting, and support earlier disease detection and response