Washington Debrief: CIOs, CMIOs, Vendors Testify on Stage 2

Reps. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) and Mike Honda (D-Calif.) recently sent a letter to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner, R.N. and National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari, M.D. urging them to expand protections that allow hospitals to donate electronic health record technology to physicians in an effort to boost health IT interoperability.  Specifically the pair wants HHS to extend the Stark and anti-kickback to the end of 2016 with provisions that prohibit donors from restricting data exchange between EHRs.  The letter also urges HHS to clarify “neither the donor nor donee can take any actions to limit the interoperability of donated" health IT by establishing a new condition in the exceptions that “clarifies the prohibition against data ‘lock-in.’”  The Representatives believe the Stark law should require that any written contract subject to the exceptions incorporate such new conditions.  CMS has a proposed rule pending and a final rule should be forthcoming soon.

Now open! CHIME State Public Policy Award for CIO Leadership
The State Public Policy Award will be presented during National Health IT Week on September 18 in Washington, DC. (Winner need not be present, but it’s encouraged!) This award recognizes the contribution of a CHIME member engaged in educating policy makers at the state-level on the value of health IT and its role in patient care. You may nominate yourself or a colleague. Submission deadline: Aug 2, 2013

Edited by Gabriel Perna