S. 2511 would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to strengthen federal efforts related to the adoption and certification of health information technology (HIT), the exchange of electronic health data between different HIT systems, and the transmission of electronic health data to patients and to registries that collect data about individuals with specific medical conditions. Additionally, the Comptroller General would be required to issue several reports to Congress. CBO estimates that implementing S. 2511 would cost $122 million over the 2017-2021 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary funds.
S. 2511 also would provide the Inspector General of HHS with the authority to collect civil monetary penalties from entities that willfully block access to electronic health information. CBO estimates that collections of the civil monetary penalties would increase revenues, therefore pay-as-you-go procedures apply. Those effects would be insignificant over the 2017-2026 period. The bill would not affect direct spending.
Enacting S. 2511 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027. S. 2511 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA).