Outpatient Facility Coding Alert - 2020 Issue 9
Compliance: Focus on 5 Interoperability Policies
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Article Overview
This article gives a practical overview of recent CMS interoperability and patient access policy changes tied to CMS and ONC efforts to reduce data blocking and improve health information exchange. It is aimed at surgery practices, hospitals, payers, and compliance staff that need to track new federal reporting, API, directory, and patient-notification obligations. The discussion also notes timing, enforcement, and implementation considerations that may affect operational planning.
Why This Topic Matters
These policy changes can affect how organizations share data, present provider information, support patient-facing digital access, and meet federal compliance expectations. Understanding the scope helps practices and hospitals anticipate operational and reporting impacts without needing to read the full premium analysis first.
Article Sections
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Expect to be Called Out on Data Blocking
Discusses CMS and ONC efforts to identify and publicly report information blocking concerns through interoperability-related program reporting. The section focuses on transparency and compliance implications for providers and facilities.
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Register New API Requirements
Covers new payer-facing application programming interface expectations and related interoperability standards referenced by the rule. The section explains the broad categories of affected health plans and programs.
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Presume Provider Data Will be in an API Directory
Describes requirements for including provider directory information in payer APIs for public access. The section addresses the role of directory data in patient-facing and developer-facing tools.
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Have Your Contact Information Handy Online
Reviews public reporting expectations tied to maintaining digital contact information in a federal provider enumeration system. The section emphasizes online data accuracy and visibility.
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Tack on Another Medicare CoP
Summarizes a new Medicare hospital participation requirement related to electronic patient event notifications. The section notes affected facility types and the compliance context.
What You Will Learn
- The general themes of CMS interoperability and patient access policy updates
- Which types of organizations are affected by the rule changes
- How the article frames public reporting, APIs, provider directories, and hospital notification obligations
- Why timing and enforcement discretion are important for implementation planning
Who Should Read This
- Surgery practice administrators
- Hospital compliance teams
- Revenue cycle and operations staff
- Health IT and interoperability stakeholders
- Payer compliance personnel
- Coding and regulatory professionals
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