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The country's largest consortium of health insurance providers has publicly endorsed federal initiatives that promote consumers' awareness of health IT.

"Health information technology has the power to transform the way healthcare is delivered and significantly increase safety, efficiency and the quality of care for all Americans," the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association said in a statement released Dec. 22.

The association, a national federation of 39 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies, "strongly supports initiatives to advance health information technology and ... efforts by the Office of the National Coordinator 'to engage and empower individuals to be partners in their health through information technology.'"

Moreover, the association is encouraging others to follow its lead, calling on "entities that touch Americans' lives to pledge to empower individuals to be partners in their health through health IT."

The association says it and its companies have been "at the forefront" of efforts to promote broad adoption of health IT. It cited a record of developing national standards for personal health records, promoting health-care providers' use of electronic prescribing and electronic medial records, and advancing the health care sector's adoption of interoperable health IT.

"Our shared vision for the future of healthcare in America includes the use of health information technology to drive safer and better care for all Americans," the association said in the news release. "We look forward to working with the administration and others to help promote consumer awareness and engagement in health IT."