CMS and ONC Proposed Rulings Share Your Data or Pay the Price

Why This Topic Matters

The proposals discussed could affect health IT certification, patient access to electronic health information, payer data exchange, and enforcement expectations across the healthcare ecosystem. Organizations following federal health IT policy, interoperability standards, and compliance obligations would want to understand the scope of these changes and whether comment submission is relevant to them.

Article Sections

1. ONC: 21st Century Cures Act Proposed Rule

   Introduces the ONC proposal and its broad policy goals around interoperability, information blocking, certification, and patient access. Summarizes the kinds of requirements and enforcement concepts addressed in the rule.

2. Information blocking

   Explains the general topic of information blocking and the types of actors and enforcement bodies discussed in the proposal. Covers the article’s overview of how the issue is framed in the federal rulemaking.

3. 7 exceptions to the information blocking provision

   Lists the proposed exception categories the article says are intended to limit when information exchange would be restricted. Describes the section as a policy overview of circumstances and conditions tied to those exceptions.

4. What’s is EHI anyway?

   Defines electronic health information at a broad level and explains how the proposal treats the scope of data covered. Also discusses the shift in interoperability data standards described in the article.

5. Update existing 2015-edition certification criteria

   Covers proposed changes to health IT certification criteria and related interoperability expectations. Highlights the article’s discussion of APIs, export capabilities, and secure access requirements.

6. CMS: Interoperability and Patient Access Proposed Rule

   Introduces the CMS companion proposal and its role in supporting patient access, data exchange, and care coordination. Summarizes the main payer and provider-facing themes discussed in the article.

7. Submitting Comments

   Notes the public comment period and the article’s reminder that stakeholders can submit feedback on the proposals. Provides the closing administrative call to action described in the post.