Hatch Praises New, Patient-Centered CMS Initiatives

Utah Senator Says, “It’s common sense that patients should be able to quickly and securely access their health records, especially in this digital age, and I look forward to working with this administration to reduce even more barriers to improve our nation’s healthcare system.”

WASHINGTON — Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) today praised Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma’s announcement that a new initiative – MyHealthEData – will put patients at the center of our nation’s healthcare system. Verma also announced the launch of Medicare’s Blue Button 2.0 and CMS’ intention to overhaul its Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs.

“I am pleased by Administrator Verma’s announcement today of new CMS initiatives that will put Americans at the center of their health care,” Hatch said. “Specifically, CMS’ commitment to streamlining the meaningful use program and focus on improving information exchange – something I’ve called for in recent years – is encouraging. It’s common sense that patients should be able to quickly and securely access their health records, especially in this digital age, and I look forward to working with this administration to reduce even more barriers to improve our nation’s healthcare system.”

The new initiatives include:

MyHealthEData
- Patients will have the ability to choose the provider that best meets their needs and then give that provider secure access to their data through MyHealthEData. The goal of this program is to increase competition and reduce costs.
Medicare’s Blue Button 2.0
- Blue Button 2.0 is a new, secure way for Medicare beneficiaries to access and share their personal health data. It will enable patients who participate in Medicare to connect their claims data to the secure applications, providers, services, and research programs they trust.
- In fact, more than 100 organizations related to technology innovation have signed on to use Medicare’s Blue Button 2.0 to develop applications that will provide innovative ways for patients to manage their health.
Overhauling EHR Incentive Programs
- CMS will refocus the programs to reduce providers’ compliance costs, as well as continue to collaborate with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to improve the clinician experience with their EHRs.

For more information, visit https://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Press-releases/2018-Press-releases-items/2018-03-06.html.

The Senate Finance Committee, the committee with the largest jurisdiction in either House of Congress, oversees more than 50 percent of the federal budget and has jurisdiction over large portions of the American healthcare system, including Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP and Obamacare.

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