Official White House Photographer: Sheila Craighead
Tom Leary, director of government relations at HIMSS, is tracking how the change in government could impact interoperability and data sharing regulations already underway. He and his team are also considering what the new Congress means for other policies.
“I would definitely expect some new policy on AI in the new Congress, centered around health care and cybersecurity,” Leary said.
Under the Biden administration, the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) was created in 2022 to fulfill the promise of the 21st Century Cures Act, which was signed eight years ago.
Under the Biden administration, the “Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Accreditation Program Updates, Algorithmic Transparency, and Information Sharing (HTI-1)” final rule was published in January, and the proposed HTI-2 rule was released in July. It was announced in
Some components will take effect Jan. 1, Leary said.
“Reversing some of that would require regulatory changes, particularly around AI-related reporting requirements,” he said. “We want to make sure we understand what's going to happen with the regulations for our (HIMSS) members and listen to the field to see what guidance we can provide to our members,” Leary said. said.
There is a growing momentum for the current administration to see through to the end what it has set out to do.
“It's not easy to slow down a train or change direction,” he says.
HIMSS recently published public policy principles for artificial intelligence and machine learning. Leary said the European Union's AI law will impact multinational organizations, including the United States. Congress needs to act, he said.
HIMSS remains committed to maintaining telemedicine and remote patient monitoring. Both are allowed under exemptions introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic and extended after the public health emergency ends. Congress needs to act by the end of the year to maintain flexibility for telemedicine and remote patient monitoring.
“If we don't have time by Dec. 31, we'll be back in March 2020,” Leary said.
HIMSS is the parent company of Healthcare Finance News.
Trump's victory appears to be good for pharmaceutical companies and Medicare Advantage insurance companies. In the latter case, President Trump is expected to provide regulatory benefits, according to the Wall Street Journal. The day after the election, MA Insurance Company's stock price rose.
WSJ says, “Under the Biden administration, insurers focused on Medicare Advantage face increased scrutiny from the federal government, including lower annual interest rate increases, which could encourage older adults to take up the plans. This happened at a time when it was leading to a decline in profitability.”
Stephen J. Ubl, President and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA), said PHRMA looks forward to working with President Trump to build on the successes of the first administration. said. Innovation in the biopharmaceutical industry allows the United States to lead the world in drug development, he said.
Uble said the pharmaceutical industry is being held back under the Biden administration's efforts to reduce drug costs, which is stifling innovation.
“We are committed to working with the Trump administration and the new Congress to make the health care system work better for patients while maintaining a unique ecosystem that enables greater innovation and cost savings for patients,” said Uble. We are working on it.” “During his first term, President Trump took the lead in curbing PBM abuse and ensuring that more of the rebates negotiated at the pharmacy counter went to patients. We will work together to advance bipartisan PBM reform that reduces costs and reduces barriers to patient access. ”
Hospital groups such as the American Hospital Association and Essential Hospitals offered their congratulations to Trump.
“As we enter the final weeks of this Congress and look to the next Congress, our priorities remain the same: coverage and care,” said Rick Pollack, AHA President and CEO. to improve the quality and affordability of care, and to help us support them.” It's about supporting caregivers and ensuring our hospitals and health systems have the resources and support they need to remain a cornerstone of our communities. ”
Families USA cited concerns about health care affordability and possible rollbacks to the Affordable Care Act signed under President Barack Obama.
Anthony Wright, executive director of Families USA, said: “After a bitter and divisive election campaign, and given the past positions and actions of the former Trump administration, all Americans are reminded that we all depend on one another. “We should be extremely alarmed about the potential threats to health insurance and consumer protection.” The impact of this election will be especially felt by many already marginalized people, regardless of how they vote. ”
Patients for Affordable Medicine called for the continuation of current policies. “President-elect Trump previously authorized negotiating lower Medicare prices and introduced a 'most-favored-nation' model that would prevent Americans from paying more than the average price paid by people in other countries,” said David Mitchell, the group's founder. I expressed my support for it.” We look forward to the new administration returning to these commitments or promoting other approaches that we can support to build on the progress achieved in recent years. ”
Abortion rights supporters have expressed concern about the future of reproductive freedom advocated by President Trump's opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Regina Davis Moss, President and CEO of In Our Own Voice, said, It's nothing short of frightening for everyone who does. We have a long way to go, but last night's results also show that the majority of Americans want access to reproductive health care. ”
“Today, our hearts are heavy and our thoughts go to abortion providers and all those concerned about abortion access,” said Brittany Fontenot, president and CEO of the National Abortion Federation. “These results are a devastating blow to the movement for reproductive freedom.” ”
Email the author: SMorse@himss.org
