I
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4641
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 18, 2005
Mr. Gingrey (for himself, Mr. Norwood, Mr. Garrett of New Jersey, Mrs. Capito, and Miss McMorris) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
A BILL
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the deduction under section 179 for the purchase of qualified health care information technology by medical care providers and to allow a credit against tax for applicable telecommunications charges paid or incurred by such providers.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Assisting Doctors to Obtain Proficient and Transmissible Health Information Technology (ADOPT HIT) Act of 2005
.
Purchase of qualified health care information technology
In general
Section 179 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to election to expense certain depreciable assets) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
Health care information technology
In general
In the case of qualified health care information technology purchased by a medical care provider and placed in service during a taxable year—
subsection (b)(1) shall be applied by substituting $250,000
for $100,000
,
subsection (b)(2) shall be applied by substituting $600,000
for $400,000
, and
subsection (b)(5)(A) shall be applied by substituting $250,000 and $600,000
for $100,000 and $400,000
.
Definitions
For purposes of this subsection—
Qualified health care information technology
The term qualified health care information technology means section 179 property which is used primarily for the electronic creation, maintenance, and exchange of medical care information to improve the quality or efficiency of medical care.
Medical care provider
The term medical care provider means any person engaged in the trade or business of providing medical care.
Medical care
The term medical care has the meaning given such term by section 213(d).
.
Effective date
The amendment made by this section shall apply to property placed in service after December 31, 2004.
Telecommunications credit for qualified medical care providers
In general
Subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to business related credits) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
Telecommunications credit for qualified medical care providers
General rule
For purposes of section 38, in the case of a qualified medical care provider, the telecommunications credit determined under this section for a taxable year is an amount equal to 50 percent of the applicable telecommunications charges paid or incurred by such provider during the taxable year.
Dollar limitation
In the case of a qualified medical care provider, the credit determined under subsection (a) for a taxable year shall not exceed $10,000.
Definitions
For purposes of this section—
Applicable telecommunications charges
The term applicable telecommunications charges means expenses paid or incurred for the purpose of installing or maintaining a communications network that supports interoperability of electronic medical record systems.
Qualified medical care provider
The term qualified medical care provider means any person engaged in the trade or business of providing medical care (as defined in section 213(d)) who has purchased qualified health care information technology (as defined in section 179(e)).
.
Conforming amendments
Section 38(b) of such Code is amended by striking plus
at the end of paragraph (25), by striking the period at the end of paragraph (26) and inserting , plus
, and by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
the telecommunications credit determined under section 45N.
.
The table of sections for subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
Sec. 45N. Telecommunications credit for qualified medical care providers
.
Effective date
The amendments made by this section shall apply to expenses paid or incurred after December 31, 2004.