CMS takes hands off approach to HIE, MU in new Medicaid managed care rule

The new final Medicaid and CHIP managed care rule does not change Meaningful Use, data exchange and health IT requirements, despite commenters’ requests to do so.

The rule, released April 25, and slated to be published in the Federal Register May 6, modernizes how Medicaid managed care plans operate.  However, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services did not use the rule as an opportunity to advance or encourage interoperability or certified electronic health record technology, as it has in other rules, such as payment regulations.

For instance, while CMS encourages states, managed care organizations and others to use health information exchange (HIE) and certified EHR technology, it reiterates that it does not have the statutory authority to broaden the HITECH Act to include additional incentives for provider types, nor does it have the statutory authority to modify the EHR incentive programs. CMS also says in the rule that states have the flexibility to require managed care plan participation in delivery system reform or performance improvement, such as provider health information exchange projects, but that it would not be a requirement for state Medicaid managed care contracts. For the full article click here 

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