An Overview of Major Health Provisions Contained in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

by: Sara Rosenbaum, J.D., Lara Cartwright-Smith, J.D., M.P.H., Taylor Burke J.D., L.L.M., Phyllis Borzi J.D., M.A, Melissa Goldstein, J.D.

On February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) into law. One of the most sweeping pieces of economic legislation ever enacted, ARRA not only provides hundreds of billions of dollars in new health and health care spending but also makes comprehensive reforms in health law and policy, particularly in the area of health information law, including health information technology (HIT) adoption and health information privacy. Please visit the following links to read and understand the major health provisions in the new law.

A brief summary of the major health provisions contained in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 [download .PDF]

Detailed Side-by-Side chart tracking the major health provisions in the Senate, House, and final Act signed into law February 17 [download .PDF]