On Oct. 4, 2024, the AOA submitted comments on the HHS Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (formerly Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT) Health Data, Technology and Interoperability Proposed Rule. The rule marks another important step forward in fostering improved data sharing across our health care system, promoting care coordination for physicians across settings and specialties and ensuring that data is exchanged in a manner that protects the patient-physician relationship.
The AOA supported proposals to align ASTP policy with recent CMS rules on prior authorization and interoperability by establishing new health IT certification criteria for:
- Real-time prescription benefits tools
- Patient access application programming interface (API) that enables patients to view and download their data from payers
- Provider access API, which enables physicians to access patients’ claims and encounter data held by payers
- Payer-to-payer API to support longitudinal care by allowing patient data to be exchanged when patients change health plans
- Prior authorization API to support electronic prior authorization processes and alleviate physician burden
The rule also adds several new exceptions to information-blocking rules to align with patient preferences and protect physicians and patients from legal action in the delivery of evidence-based care.
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