Mass. House passes health care cost savings bill

The Massachusetts House has approved a bill to rein in health care spending, but rejected a proposed ban on the practice of doctors accepting gifts from representatives of pharmaceutical companies.

A version of the bill approved by the Senate included the ban.

The House version prohibits pharmaceutical companies from buying confidential prescription drug information for marketing purposes.

The House bill also requires uniform coding of medical claims to make the billing process consistent and rewards primary care physicians who focus on patients with chronic illnesses.

It also requires a statewide electronic health record system be up and running by 2015.

House and Senate leaders hope to come up with a single, compromise version. (AP)