Improving Patient and Provider Access to Medical Records and Reforming Prior Authorization Processes critical in a public health emergency

CMS Proposes New Rules to Address Prior Authorization and Reduce Burden on Patients and Providers. Today, under President Trump’s leadership, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that would improve the electronic exchange of health care data among payers, providers, and patients, and streamline processes related to prior authorization to reduce burden on providers and patients. By both increasing data flow, and reducing burden, this proposed rule would give providers more time to focus on their patients, and provide better quality care. The proposed rule is available to review today at: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/121020-reducing-provider-and-patient-burden-cms-9123-p.pdf The Comment Period will close on January 4, 2021. Press Release: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-proposes-new-rules-address-prior-authorization-and-reduce-burden-patients-and-providers Fact Sheet: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/reducing-provider-and-patient-burden-improving-prior-authorization-processes-and-promoting-patients To read more on the importance of these proposed changes, please visit CMS Administrator Seema Verma’s blog post: https://www.cms.gov/blog/reducing-provider-and-patient-burden-and-promoting-patients-electronic-access-health-information For more information on the CMS proposed rule, please visit: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Interoperability/index