Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published a sweeping final rule with comment period that specifies the requirements that eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) must meet in order to qualify for Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record (EHR) incentive payments and avoid downward payment adjustments under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. Notably, the rule establishes the requirements for Stage 3 of the program as optional in 2017 and required for all participants beginning in 2018.
Continue Reading CMS Adopts Changes to Medicare & Medicaid EHR Policies

The HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has released its final “Roadmap” to promote the secure exchange and use of electronic health information. The document, “Connecting Health and Care for the Nation: A Shared Nationwide Interoperability Roadmap Version 1.0,” describes policy and technical actions needed to meet ONC’s “vision…

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has released its final Federal Health IT Strategic Plan for 2015-2020. The 50-page document details how the federal government intends to effectively use health information technology (IT) “to help the nation achieve high-quality care, lower costs, a healthy population, and engaged individuals.” The…

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has released a revised Guide to Privacy and Security of Electronic Health Information. The guide is intended to help health care providers – especially those from smaller organizations – address federal health information privacy and security requirements in their practices. The new version…

On March 30, 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published its proposed rule on Stage 3 meaningful use criteria, which focus on the advanced use of Electronic Health Record (EHR) technology to promote improved outcomes for patients. The proposed rule would establish the requirements that eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical …

On January 30, 2015, the HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) released a draft “Roadmap” to promote safe and secure exchange and use of electronic health information. The document “Connecting Health and Care for the Nation: A Shared Nationwide Interoperability Roadmap Version 1.0,” focuses on actions intended to…

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is launching the “Market R&D Pilot Challenge,” which will bring together health care organizations and innovative companies to test new health information technology products through pilot funding awards and facilitated matchmaking. Pilot proposals could be awarded in three domains: clinical environments (e.g.…

On October 16, 2014, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the HHS Office of the National Coordinator on Health Information Technology (ONC) are holding a public workshop entitled “Putting the Person at the Center: Integrating Plans for Long-Term Services and Supports and Health Care Delivery through Health Information Technology.” The workshop will…

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) published a final rule on September 11, 2014 that is intended to introduce regulatory flexibilities with regard to certification to the 2014 Edition Electronic Health Records (EHR) Certification Criteria. The rule also codifies certain revisions to the ONC Health Information Technology (HIT) Certification Program…

CMS has published a proposed rule that would formally adopt a previously-announced change to the EHR meaningful use stage timeline. Specifically, the rule would extend Stage 2 through 2016 and begin Stage 3 in 2017 (instead of 2016). The proposed rule also would allow providers to use 2011 Edition Certified Electronic Health Record Technology…

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is seeking comments on revisions to health information technology certification regulations for 2015. CMS is updating these criteria more frequently to provide more incremental regulatory changes, give stakeholders earlier information and greater opportunity for input, and respond more quickly to newer industry standards…

An OIG report released in December 2013 assessed the extent to which hospitals that received Medicare EHR incentive payments as of March 2012 had implemented fraud safeguards for EHR technology previously recommended by an HHS contractor, RTI International, and set forth in a 2007 HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)…

On December 6, 2013, CMS announced its intention to push back implementation of the Stage 3 meaningful use criteria for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. Under the new timeline, Stage 2 will be extended through 2016 and Stage 3 will begin in 2017 (instead of 2016) for those providers that have completed at…