Official White House photo by Shealah Craighead
Tom Leary, head of government relations at HIMSS, is tracking what the change in administration could mean for interoperability and data sharing regulations that are already well underway. He and his team are also considering what the recent Congress means for other policies.
“Without a doubt, we expect that the new Congress will set new policy on artificial intelligence in health care and cybersecurity,” Leary said.
Under the Biden administration, a framework and a common Trusted Exchange Agreement (TEFCA) were created in 2022 to meet the expectations set out in the 21st Century Cures Act, which was signed into law eight years ago.
Under the Biden administration, the Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Certification Program Updates, Algorithm Transparency, and Information Sharing (HTI-1) final rule was published in January, and the HTI-2 proposed rule was published in July.
Leary said some elements go into effect on Jan. 1.
“Regulatory changes will be needed to roll back some of these issues, particularly reporting requirements, especially around artificial intelligence,” he said. “We want to make sure we understand what’s going to happen with (HIMSS) membership regulations so that we have an ear on the ground and know what kind of guidance we can provide to members,” Leary said.
There is momentum to continue the actions introduced by the current administration.
“It’s not easy to slow down this train and change direction,” he said.
HIMSS recently published Public Policy Principles on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. The European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act will have an impact on international organizations, including the United States, Leary said. Congress must take action, he said.
HIMSS will continue to bang the drum on telehealth and remote patient monitoring. Both were authorized under waivers introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic and were extended after the end of the public health emergency. Congress must act before the end of the year to maintain expanded flexibility for telehealth and remote patient monitoring.
“We have until December 31, or we go back to March 2020.” – Leary said.
HIMSS is the parent company of the company
Trump’s victory seems good for drug companies and Medicare Advantage insurers. In the latter case, Trump is expected to provide regulatory benefits, according to . The day after the election, shares of MA insurers rose.
The WSJ stated: “Under the Biden administration, insurers focused on Medicare Advantage have faced increased scrutiny from the federal government, such as lower annual rate increases. This came at a time when seniors were starting to use the plans more often, which led to lower profitability.”
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) President and CEO Stephen J. Ubl said PHRMA looks forward to working with President Trump to build on the successes of his first administration. Innovation in the biopharmaceutical industry allows the United States to lead the world in drug development, he said.
Ubl said the pharmaceutical industry has been held back by the Biden administration’s efforts to lower drug costs, which has stifled innovation.
“We are committed to working with the Trump administration and the new Congress to make our health care system work better for patients, while preserving our unique ecosystem that enables greater innovation and lower costs for patients,” Ubl said. “During his first term, President Trump called for stopping PBM abuses and ensuring that a greater share of the rebates they negotiated were passed on to pharmacy patients. We will continue to work with policymakers to accelerate bipartisan PBM reforms that lower costs and reduce barriers to patient access.”
Hospital groups such as the American Hospital Association and Indispensable Hospitals congratulated Trump.
AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said: “As we enter the final weeks of this session of Congress and look ahead, our priorities remain the same: ensuring access to insurance and care, improving the quality and affordability of care, supporting our caregivers, and making sure that hospitals and health systems have the resources and support they need to remain cornerstones of their communities.”
Families USA has raised concerns about health care affordability and the potential rollback of the Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law under President Barack Obama.
Anthony Wright, executive director of Families USA, said: “After a difficult and divisive campaign, and based on the past positions and actions of the previous Trump administration, all Americans should be very concerned about potential threats to the health insurance and consumer protections we all rely on. The consequences This election will be especially felt by people who are already marginalized, regardless of how they voted.”
Patients for Affordable Medicines now insisted on the continuation of the current policy. David Mitchell, the organization’s founder, said: “Previously, President-elect Trump has expressed support for allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices and implementing a ‘most favored nation’ model to prevent Americans from paying more than the average prices paid by people in other countries for the same drugs.” We hope that the recent administration will return to these commitments or propose other approaches that we can aid implement, building on the progress made in recent years.”
Abortion rights supporters have expressed concern about the future of reproductive freedom, something Trump’s opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, advocates for.
In “Our Own Voice,” president and CEO Regina Davis Moss said: “Make no mistake, the results of yesterday’s election are simply deeply terrifying for anyone who values our democracy, our fundamental human rights and the future of our country. “We have a long way to go, last night’s results also showed that a majority of Americans want access to reproductive health care.”
Brittany Fonteno, president and CEO of the National Abortion Federation, said: “Today our hearts are bulky and our thoughts are with abortion providers and every person who cares about access to abortion – these results are a devastating blow to the movement for reproductive freedom . “