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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     
 
BALTIMORE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER URGES CONGRESS TO PASS HEALTH IT BILL TO CURB COSTS

WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 9, 2008 –– Maryland small business owner Drew Greenblatt today urged Congress to provide relief to small business owners and their employees around the country by passing health information technology (health IT) legislation immediately.

“The cost savings from health IT are essential for U.S. manufacturers to continue to provide quality coverage to our employees and to compete in the global marketplace and create jobs,” said Greenblatt, president and owner of Marlin Steel Wire Products in Baltimore, MD, at a press conference today on Capitol Hill with the Health IT NOW! Coalition.  Greenblatt is a board member of the National Association of Manufacturers, a founding member of the coalition.

With time running out to pass a bill before Congress adjourns for the elections, the coalition of patients, practitioners and employers unveiled a joint letter to Congress signed by 180 businesses, associations, patient groups and non-profit organizations from across the nation urging immediate Congressional action on health IT. 

“Though health care reform is a divisive issue in Washington, health IT is one common sense solution to lower medical costs and improve care that enjoys strong bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress.  So I ask – What are we waiting for?  If I can use information technology on my shop floor to reduce waste and cut costs, shouldn’t my doctor do the same?  The increased efficiency in treatment made possible by health IT is absolutely necessary to contain rising health care costs.”

Greenblatt pointed out that bipartisan health IT legislation that will promote a system of nationally interoperable electronic health records and save thousands of lives, billions of dollars in health care costs and digitize America’s health care system is awaiting floor action in both the House and Senate. 

 “We need Congress to act – now – on health IT legislation while we have the bipartisan, broad-based support.  We can not allow this one-time opportunity to pass,” he concluded. 

A copy of the letter with 180 signatures is available at www.nam.org/healthITletter.