Data-blocking proposal under final review

ANY DAY NOW: Imagine being hit with a $1 million penalty every time you prevent a bit of patient information from flowing to another provider. That’s the hefty fine the 21st Century Cures Act lays on IT vendors and providers for data-blocking. The Office of Management and Budget is reviewing a proposed rule from HHS that would finally spell out what actions would violate the law. So keep your eyes on the Federal Register.

SEPT. 24: Comments are due on the CMS’ massive outpatient

payment rule, in which the agency proposed expanding its site-neutral payment policy to clinic visits, a move that could save the agency hundreds of millions of dollars. Not surprisingly, hospitals and their lobbying organizations are pushing back against the proposal.

SEPT. 25: It’s no secret that rural hospitals are living on the edge. Since 2010, nearly 90 rural hospitals have closed, according to the North Carolina Rural Health Research Program. Hundreds more are at risk of shuttering. A Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions subcommittee is set to examine the “experiences and costs” of healthcare in rural America. As a shameless plug, Modern Healthcare did exactly that earlier this year in our special report “Rethinking Rural Healthcare.” Check it out at ModernHealthcare.com/Rethinking-Rural-Healthcare.

SEPT. 27: HCA Healthcare’s Dr. Jonathan Perlin is among the experts slated to tell the Senate HELP Committee how innovation can make healthcare more affordable.

SEPT. 27: Veterans account for roughly 14% of all suicides among U.S. adults, according to the Veterans Affairs Department. After adjusting for differences in age, the VA found that the suicide rate was 2.1 times higher among veterans than the rest of the population. The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee will delve into effective approaches for suicide prevention.