Your Records, Your Voice

Health and Human Services office seeks comments on “Meaningful Use” regulation on accessing Electronic Health Records

Technology has changed the way we receive and store our information. The transition from paper records to Electronic Health Records (EHR) has the potential to improve the delivery of health care for all Americans. Currently the Health and Human Services Office on Disability is advising the disability community to weigh in on EHR policies and standards which are being implemented and developed.

The following are some details on what is currently happening:

“In late December, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) released a notice of proposed rulemaking that defined how health care providers can demonstrate “meaningful use” of electronic health records that would qualify themselves for Federal incentive payments made available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) (Pub. L. 111–5).   At the same time, the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology released an interim final rule describing certification standards for Electronic Health Records (EHR) technology.”

On January 13, 2010, a 60-day public comment period was launched and published in the Federal Register.

You have the opportunity to share your insights and suggestions about the accessibility of electronic health records and the above question with the Office of the National Coordinator. To be assured consideration written or electronic comments for both the ONC interim final rule and the CMS Notice of Proposed Rule making must be received at one of the below addresses  no later than 5 p.m. on March 15, 2010.

1. Electronically. You may submit your comments electronically to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for “Comment or Submission” or “More Search Options” to find the information collection document(s) accepting comments.

2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments to the following address: CMS, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs, Division of Regulations Development, Attention: Document Identifier/OMB Control Number, Room C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850

For more information visit the Health and Human Services Department at  http://www.hhs.gov/