Welcome to HIMSS' Health IT Policy Update, bringing you the latest news on legislative and regulatory activities related to health IT from HIMSS' Government Relations office. We welcome your feedback, and if you're reading this complimentary newsletter online or receiving it as a forward, please subscribe.

Federal Affairs

Government Health IT Conference Features High-Level Government Speakers
Two Congressional physicians – Representatives Michael Burgess, MD (R-TX) and Representative Tom Price, MD (R-GA) – will deliver keynote speeches to the Government Health IT Conference and Exhibition in Washington DC, June 17-18, 2014.  Rep. Price will close Day 1 of the event, and Rep. Burgess will open Day 2.  CIO for the Military Health System, David Bowen will offer a keynote on Day 2, as will Niall Brennan, Acting Director of the Offices of Enterprise Management at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  Registration is FREE for government employees. Click the link above to learn more.

Burwell Sworn in as HHS Secretary
Sylvia Mathews Burwell was sworn in on June 9th as the 22nd Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).

CMS Reports Slight Increases in Stage 2 Attestations
At the Health IT Policy Committee meeting on Tuesday, June 10, reports were delivered by CMS and ONC on attestations for Meaningful Use Stage 2 as well as the progress and performance of eligible professionals (EPs) in the first three years of the EHR Incentive Program. 

Policy Committee Recommends Limiting the Scope of EHR Certification, But With Further Discussion on Specifics
Earlier this week, the Health IT Policy Committee discussed the hearing that its Certification Workgroup held on May 7, where they heard from various stakeholders about the electronic health record (EHR) certification process, and tried to understand what is working and where there are challenges.  The hearing also sought to identify opportunities to improve the program by leveraging the lessons learned in Meaningful Use Stages 1 and 2. 

SAMHSA Holds Privacy Hearing, Includes Health IT
On June 11, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) held a public listening session on to discuss potential changes to 42 CFR Part 2, which provides confidentiality for patient records with drug abuse information.

WEDI Recommends Actions to HHS on ICD-10 Implementation
On June 4, the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) sent a letter to the HHS Secretary, to “provide suggested actions in an effort to minimize continued disruption to the healthcare industry” in response to the ICD-10 delay to October 1, 2015.

RAND Publishes EHR Case Study
The RAND Corporation published a new collection of case studies this week titled Redirecting Innovation in U.S. Health Care: Options to Decrease Spending and Increase Value. The third case study is focused on the history and progress of electronic health record implementation.

HIMSS Regulatory Chart Tracks Health IT Regulations
The HIMSS regulatory chart offers an at-a-glance snapshot of all health IT-related regulation HIMSS is following in 2014. The chart includes links to proposed and final regulations and to HIMSS comments and position statements, along with anticipated timelines.

Congressional Affairs

Senators Request Input on Use of Healthcare Data
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and senior Finance Committee member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are requesting input from stakeholders on “ideas that will enhance the availability and utility of healthcare data, while maintaining and strictly protecting patient privacy.” 

New Bill Focuses on Hospital-to-Home Transitions
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI) have proposed HR 4762 , the “Medicare Transitional Care Act,” which is a bipartisan effort to “support and coordinate care for Medicare beneficiaries as they move from the hospital setting to their homes or other care setting and ensure that appropriate follow-up care is provided during this vulnerable period.”

State Affairs

Connecting Michigan for Health–Public Policy Event
The Michigan HIMSS Chapter recently held its annual public policy and advocacy event Connecting Michigan for Health.

HIMSS News

Join Review of OMB Occupation Classification Revision
HIMSS invites members to participate in a review of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget’s Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Revision for 2018 Notice as posted in the May 22 Federal Register. The three-session review, to begin June 16, is to account for the health IT jobs that have been created since the last SOC revision. Read more>>

HIMSS Small Business and Diversity Roundtable to Discuss HHS Contracting Opportunities
Join the HIMSS Small Business and Diversity Roundtable on Tuesday, June 17, 2014, for its quarterly meeting.  Guest speaker Dwight D. Deneal from the HHS Office of Small and Disadvantage Business Utilization  will lead an informative discussion on small business contracting opportunities with HHS.

EVENT: Attend the 2015 Government Health IT Conference & Exhibition
Join your colleagues for this year's Government Health IT Conference & Exhibition in Washington DC, June 17-18. The theme for the 2014 Government Health IT Conference is "Emerging Care and Reimbursement Models." Find the knowledge and network that empowers you to implement solutions that reduce costs while still delivering quality patient care.

NEW! VOLUNTEER: HIMSS mHealth Community
The HIMSS mHealth Community is seeking members for the upcoming fiscal year. The community provides engagement, participation, and resources to support the use of wireless devices in the healthcare setting. This year’s focus is on telemedicine, bio sensors, and remote monitoring. For more information, e-mail mHealth@himss.org.

HIMSS15 Call for Proposals & Reviewers Closes Next Week
The Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition is seeking thought leaders to present educational content and peer reviewers to ensure the integrity and relevance of 300+ education topics at HIMSS15. The call for proposals is open until June 16. HIMSS15 will take place in Chicago April 12-16.Learn more about submitting a proposal. Learn more about becoming a reviewer. For questions contact Deb Clough, Manager of Annual Conference Education.

MULTIMEDIA: Baker and Chopra on the Future of Health IT
Click the link above to access HIMSS Vice President for Government Relations Tom Leary’s blog and a podcast of his Federal News Radio discussion on the value of health IT with former VA CIO Roger Baker and former US CTO Aneesh Chopra. Both men are members of the Honorary Advisory Panel for this year’s Government Health IT Conference & Exhibition, scheduled for June 17-18.