Families USA’s Comments on HIT NPRM CMS-9115-P

Families USA recently commented on a proposed CMS regulation aimed at promoting the interoperability of health information technology (health IT).

We support the Administration’s efforts to utilize technology innovations in the health care sector as a way to increase consumer’s access to their health care information and to promote transparency of critical health care data for consumers, payers, and providers. We applaud and encourage efforts that take steps towards the following: increasing the transparency of cost, pricing, and utilization of health care data; strengthening and standardizing interoperability standards of data systems and information sharing for consumers, payers, and providers; empowering consumers to be informed decision-makers; and enabling consumers to own their health care data. We believe that it is critical that the safety and privacy of consumers’ health care information and data is preserved and that consumers’ trust in the ability of health care entities to safeguard that information is not eroded or diminished in any way.

While the proposed rule was broad and included several provisions in which other key stakeholders provided comment, Families USA’s comments focused on two areas that are particularly critical for consumers: Open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, Children Health Insurance Program, Qualified Health Plan Issuers in Federal Facilitated Exchanges and Enrollee and Beneficiary Resources Regarding Privacy and Security.