Bipartisan bill aims to ease digital reporting in healthcare sector

Congressman Dan Crenshaw has collaborated with Congressmembers Vern Buchanan and Jimmy Panetta to introduce the bipartisan Healthcare Efficiency Through Flexibility Act. This legislation aims to ease the digital reporting process across the healthcare sector.

The bill proposes delaying the implementation of a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rule. This rule requires Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), which are groups of healthcare providers that offer quality care to Medicare recipients, to transition to electronic Clinical Quality Measures (eCQMs). These eCQMs are standardized electronic measures used for assessing healthcare quality. The transition poses a significant cost and burden on ACOs and their participants, especially since it will not be applicable by 2030.

"The shift to new healthcare reporting measures must not place undue burden on Medicare providers or jeopardize value-based care," said Buchanan. He emphasized that "a temporary reporting solution will only serve as a Band-Aid, adding additional paperwork and bureaucracy." Buchanan supports delaying implementation and piloting new digital reporting methods through the Healthcare Efficiency Through Flexibility Act.

Crenshaw expressed his support by stating, "I am glad to join Health Subcommittee Chair Buchanan in introducing this important legislation to delay a burdensome rule from the Biden Administration." He added that avoiding unreasonable reporting requirements for physicians is crucial for improving patient care.

Panetta also voiced concerns about additional paperwork, saying, "The move to a temporary reporting system would add additional paperwork and hinder Medicare providers and their goal to fully digitalize reporting by 2030." He noted that the act would reduce bureaucracy and allow providers to focus on delivering quality care.

The legislation has garnered support from several organizations including Accountable for Health, Advocate Health, Duke Health, Novant Health, WakeMed, FirstHealth, Cone Health, and the National Association of ACOs (NAACOS).

Mara McDermott, CEO of Accountable for Health, stated that while transitioning to eCQMs holds promise for enhancing data sharing across healthcare providers, it must be done thoughtfully. She mentioned that this legislation provides a glidepath for adoption leading to smoother implementation by 2030.

A spokesperson from Advocate Health commented on the delay's benefits: "Delaying the eCQM requirements will provide CMS and ACOs with the additional time needed to work through implementation challenges."

Emily Brower from Trinity Health highlighted that CMS's requirements remain costly and burdensome. She shared an example where small independent primary care practices withdrew from their ACOs due to technical demands. She stated that NAACOS strongly supports this legislation addressing critical obstacles before implementing a program-wide mandate.