News & Updates October 22, 2021

Upcoming WEDI Events October 27: Update on New York Workers’ Compensation Regulatory Timelines and Stakeholder Requirements Knowledge Center WEDI Provides Comments and Recommendations on the Common Agreement Prior Authorization Workflow Barriers and Guiding Principles In the News Aligning with Standards Development Community: The New Cycle for Standards Version Advancement Process Making History: HHS' Dr. Rachel Levine sworn in as US' first openly transgender four-star officer Dr. Rachel Levine, the assistant secretary for health at the US Department of Health and Human Services, made history Tuesday as the first openly transgender four-star officer across the nation's eight uniformed services.  Levine was sworn in Tuesday as the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps' highest ranking official. "This is a momentous occasion, and I am honored to take this role for the impact that I can make and for the historic nature of what it symbolizes," Levine said in remarks after taking the oath of office Tuesday. "I stand on the shoulders of those LGBTQ+ individuals who came before me -- both those known and unknown." "May this appointment today be the first of many more to come as we create a diverse and more inclusive future," she added. Click here to read more

November 9, 2-3:30pm ET WEDI Members Only Free November 16, 10-5pm ET Open to Healthcare Professionals Free

Medicare Open Enrollment Period Kicks Off the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is reminding people with Medicare that Medicare Open Enrollment begins October 15, 2021, and now is the time to review their coverage options and make a choice that meets their health care needs. Medicare’s Open Enrollment period gives those who rely on Medicare the opportunity to make changes to their health plans or prescription drug plans, pick a Medicare Advantage Plan, or return to Original Medicare. Read More

Now Available: White Paper about CMS Innovation Center Strategy The goal of this bold, new strategy is to achieve equitable outcomes through high-quality, affordable, person-centered care, carried out through five strategic objectives: Drive Accountable Care, Advance Health Equity, Support Innovation, Address Affordability, and Partner to Achieve System Transformation. These strategic objectives will guide the CMS Innovation Center’s models and priorities, and progress for each objective will be measured periodically to assess the CMS Innovation Center’s work and impact. Read More

NEW WEBINAR: Register for the Next Clinician-Focused Webinar Join ONC on November 17, 2021 from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm EST for the next webinar in ONC’s clinician-focused webinar series on information sharing and the information blocking regulation. ONC experts will explain how ONC supports secure, appropriate sharing of electronic health information and how information sharing leads to more affordable and equitable care and improved care quality. Register

ONC Announces Continued Collaboration with the Gravity Project ONC has announced their renewed collaboration with the Gravity Project under the FHIR Accelerator Program to support pilot testing of the newly published Social Determinants of Health Clinical Care Implementation Guide. With support from many stakeholders, four new SDOH data elements were included in the United States Core Data for Interoperability Version 2. This collaboration offers the opportunity to work with various stakeholders to provide testing of the newly added data elements in real world settings.

Coverage to Care Partner Webinar The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) Coverage to Care (C2C) initiative will host a partner webinar on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET. Learn More & Register

Resources for You Prior Authorization Workflow Barriers and Guiding Principles Podcast Episode 56: The Economic Importance of Health Equity with Priya Bathija from the American Hospital Association WEDI Letter to Lisa J. Pino, JD, Director of the Office for Civil Rights The Challenge of Health Care Literacy

National Hispanic Heritage Month 2021 HHS Fact Sheet COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force

CMS has created a series of fact sheets to help explain how HIPAA electronic adopted transactions streamline health care billing through the use of standards and operating rules.

Make Health Information Understandable During Health Literacy Month To mark Health Literacy Month, we’re highlighting resources that can help providers better explain the services that are available to their patients through their health coverage. Read More

Virtual HL7 C-CDA Implementation-A-Thon October 27-28 X12 Winter 2022 Standing Meeting January 23 – February 2

Hot Headlines: Google is still ‘all in’ on health care: Chief health officer Karen DeSalvo Organizing online, Covid skeptics drive public health professionals from their jobs Walmart Looks to Expand Its Healthcare Presence to Self-Funded Plans Spoofing, Phishing, Ransomware Continue to Overwhelm Health Systems

Get to know the WEDI Board:

WEDI Board member, Laura Morrison, Mayo loves camping on the Upper Iowa River. WEDI Board member, Lee Ann Stember, NCPDP enjoys jumping out of perfectly good airplanes.

Claims Subworkgroup Interested in working on a project documenting GFB business process questions and gaps? The next meeting will be October 28th from 11-12ET. Contact sholvey@wedi.org to get involved

WEDI Workgroups WEDI workgroups provide thoughtful leadership and common-sense approaches that enhance the exchange of clinical and administrative healthcare information. They collect input, exchange ideas, and make recommendations that inspire impactful and far-reaching change in our industry.

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