Dive Brief:
-
CMS acting Administrator Andy Slavitt announced on Twitter the agency has launched an Office of Clinician Engagement with the goal of helping healthcare professionals address regulatory burdens.
-
The formation of the new office could stem from a provision in the 21st Century Cures Act that directed CMS to establish a strategy for “the reduction of regulatory or administrative burdens.”
- Slavitt also stated in a recent blog post that “HHS will continue to work towards minimizing the financial and administrative burden” associated with new documentation and reporting requirements.
Dive Insight:
With an abundance of recent legislation making changes to regulatory requirements for providers, confusion about the expectations will likely arise. While Slavitt did not expand upon the role of the Office of Clinician Engagement, it could help to address these issues.
Providers are used to accommodating changes in the details of reimbursement policies. However, a particularly high rate of substantial change has occurred over the past decade or so with the introduction of new legislation, including the HITECH Act, the ACA, and MACRA, as well as the transition to ICD-10.
Many providers are in need of help to be able to cope with the rapid pace at which the healthcare lanscapre is changing. While the specific role CMS' new office will play is uncertain, it will likely be welcomed by providers who are looking for more guidance in this era of change.
