HHS Issues Proposed Rules for HIT Certification - March 17, 2010

HHS recently issued a proposed rule to establish two separate health information technology (HIT) programs. The first program is a temporary certification program for providers to test and certify electronic health record (EHR) products, to ensure that systems are certified prior to the reporting period for demonstrating meaningful use. Ideally, this will help providers more easily seek incentive payments, once they become available. The second program would establish a permanent certification process to replace the temporary one, and would separate testing and certification responsibilities, set accreditation requirements, establish requirements for certification bodies and allow them to certify technologies besides EHRs. Although the programs were proposed as part of the same notice, HHS intends to publish separate final rules for each program. HHS will accept comments for the temporary program for 30 days after its scheduled March 10 publication in the Federal Register, and comments for the permanent program for 60 days.