CMS Pushes to Improve Information Sharing Between Hospitals and Post-Acute Care

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Jodi Boyne

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed policy changes supporting its MyHealthEData initiative to improve patient access and advance electronic data exchange and care coordination throughout the healthcare system. 

The Interoperability and Patient Access Proposed Rule outlines opportunities to make patient data more useful and transferable through open, secure, standardized and machine-readable formats while reducing restrictive burdens on healthcare providers. In its announcement, CMS said it is:

• Requesting input on how it can promote interoperability between hospitals and post-acute settings.
• Anticipating a rule requiring public reporting of instances when doctors or hospitals have blocked requests for patient information from nursing homes or other providers.
• Requiring Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care plans share electronic medical claims information by 2020.