Today, FAH submitted comments to the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP) regarding its proposed rule on Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability (HTI-2): Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability. 

FAH’s comments supported ASTP’s goal to make continued progress toward interoperable health information technology (health IT) systems that improve health care by supporting the efficient access, exchange, and use of relevant data. However, they expressed concern about the broad scope and rapid pace of regulatory changes proposed in HTI-2, especially since the HTI-1 final rule was just issued in January 2024. 

FAH also focused on a number of proposals intended to facilitate sharing information across provider organizations and public health agencies (PHAs) and urged ASTP to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies to accelerate the modernization and standardization of health IT capabilities across PHAs. In addition, FAH comments highlighted a number of concerns regarding API proposals intended to support the exchange of information between payers, providers, and patients and urged that the certified technology standards required for providers also apply to payers to guarantee consistency, promote efficiency, and help prevent fragmentation. 

Finally, the comments outlined concerns with new information-blocking proposals, including opposition to codifying specific practices that would constitute “information blocking” that interfere with access, exchange, or use of electronic health information.

Read the Comment Letter here.