MGMA joined organizations representing clinicians, hospitals, health systems, and others in encouraging congressional leaders to ensure that the interoperability provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016 are implemented in a manner that best meets the needs of patients and those who deliver their care. The letter raised concerns that provisions of the recently-proposed Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology interoperability rule, especially prohibitions against information blocking, could increase administrative burdens for practices and jeopardize the security of patient information. The letter called on the government to: 

·     Enhance the privacy and security of patient data being exchanged electronically; 

·     Ensure that appropriate implementation timelines are established, giving practices and their vendor partners sufficient time to deploy and test technology and take into account competing regulatory mandates; and

·     Use discretion in its initial enforcement of the data blocking provisions of the regulation, prioritizing education and corrective action plans over monetary penalties.