Membership | HIMSS Public Policy

Hello, {{lead.First Name:default=Subscriber}}, welcome to HIMSS' Health IT Policy Update, bringing you the latest news on Congressional, federal, and state health IT legislative and regulatory activities from HIMSS' Government Relations office. We welcome your feedback. If you're reading this complimentary newsletter online or receiving it as a forward, please subscribe.

NHIT Week Webinar: Leveraging Telehealth to Advance Healthcare Transformation
On September 26th, join in HIMSS during National Health IT Week to learn about the role telehealth has in advancing care innovation, and hear from a diverse panel of experts on real world examples of communities that have overcome policy barriers to advance telehealth.

A Year in Review: Update on the 2015 HIMSS Congressional Asks
HIMSS has engaged with relevant Committees and Member offices to provide subject matter expertise and technical assistance, data, education and/or assistance with building support for specific legislation.

HIMSS Joins Healthcare Organizations on Recommendations to 2018 SOC Revisions
The letter discusses separating the Health Informatics, HIM and Health IT occupations.

Health Centers to Receive over $87 Million in HHS Funding for IT Enhancements
The funding will be used to support health IT enhancements to accelerate the transition to value-based care models, improved information sharing to support better decision making, and increased engagement in delivery system transformation.

FDA's CDRH Releases Regulatory Science Priorities for FY 2017
The regulatory science priorities serve as a guide for making strategic intramural research funding decisions to ensure that CDRH research is focused on needs that are relevant and critical to medical devices and radiation-emitting products.

Missouri Bill Allows Schools to Bill Medicaid for Telehealth Services
Under the new law, physicians are now able to employ telehealth under the state's Medicaid program.

New Hampshire REC Helps Providers Achieve Meaningful Use
RECNH announced that it reached its goal of assisting 1,000 Priority Primary Care Providers (PPCPs) across the state in achieving Meaningful Use of Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (CEHRT).

Living in a hybrid world
Unfortunately, one can't flip a switch to move to value-based-payments-- so the industry struggles to survive in a hybrid environment- something that policymakers did not fully envision when mandating new payment rules. The author shares examples of challenges faced by healthcare organizations trying to balance old and new requirements.

The Imperative of HIMSS' APM Task Force
While CMS may have only recently heard the concerns of the provider community regarding successful value-based payment model participation, HIMSS has already begun activities to design resources that will allow its members to successfully transition from fee-for-service to pay-for-value.  

Data quality: strategies for improving healthcare data
The author helps us understand the challenges of data quality improvement and identifies a direction to overcome each challenge.

The Imperative of HIMSS' APM Task Force
While CMS may have only recently heard the concerns of the provider community regarding successful value-based payment model participation, HIMSS has already begun activities to design resources that will allow its members to successfully transition from fee-for-service to pay-for-value.  

Planned report from HIMSS Health Business Solutions Committee to Explore Long-Term Viability of Expanded Coverage under the ACA
The Accountable Care Act (ACA) is credited with extending insurance to more than 20 million previously uninsured Americans through Medicaid Expansion programs and the introduction of Health Insurance Marketplaces.  But three years into its implementation 19 states have yet to expand their Medicaid programs, co-ops are failing, and commercial insurers, citing unbearable financial losses, are exiting public health insurance marketplaces.  Can the health insurance coverage provisions of the ACA withstand the test of time?

Looking Forward to Release of MACRA Final Rule—More Details about "Pick Your Pace" and Much More
Jeff Coughlin, senior director, federal and state affairs, HIMSS North America, discusses #HIMSS's stance on the MACRA final ruling. 

The MIPS Impact: What to Know and How to Prepare
There are specific activities that your organization, large or small, can do to ensure you are prepared for Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS).

Expanding the Value of Health IT: Transforming Health: National Health IT Week Kicks Off Sept. 26-30
HIMSS calls for participation during #NHITweek

RENEW YOUR HIMSS MEMBERSHIP
Your membership dues contribute to the education, resources, and thought leadership necessary to drive your career and our industry forward. Take a moment today to login to your account to ensure that your membership is up to date. If you need a paper invoice, request via email at membersupport@himss.org. Thank you for your support!

Health IT Policy Update is a weekly online newsletter published by HIMSS.

Copyright© 2016 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission. Contact HIMSS Publications at 33 West Monroe Street, Suite 1700, Chicago, IL 60603–5616; avenditto@himssmedia.com

For information on Health IT Policy Update:
Samatha Burch
Senior Director, Congressional Affairs
HIMSS North America
sbburch@himss.org, 703-562-8847

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The inclusion of an organization name, product or service in this publication should not be construed as a HIMSS endorsement of such organization, product or service, nor is the failure to include an organization name, product or service to be construed as disapproval.