Regulations
Learn how ASTP/ONC advances the adoption and promotion of interoperability and better coordinated health care through the use of health IT.
Health IT Regulations
Key regulations such as the Cures Act Final Rule and Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability (HTI) rules ensure that healthcare providers, users, and developers of health IT have greater access to and use of electronic health information.
Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability (HTI) Rules
HTI rules provide a unified framework that supports secure, standardized electronic health record technology and fosters trusted data exchange among healthcare providers. By clarifying requirements for certification, promoting interoperability, and protecting care access, these rules help ensure that patients and providers can seamlessly share critical health information, improving both care coordination and outcomes.
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Cures Act Final Rule
The Cures Act Final Rule supports seamless and secure access, exchange, and use of electronic health information. The rule is designed to give patients and their healthcare providers secure access to health information. It also aims to increase innovation and competition by fostering an ecosystem of new applications to provide patients with more choices in their health care.
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Regulatory Activities and Additional Guidance
ASTP/ONC shapes health IT policy by promoting secure, interoperable data exchange. Additional regulations and guidance strengthen compliance, support emerging standards, and ensure reliable patient information sharing across the care continuum.
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Quality Payment Program
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) established the Quality Payment Program to reward eligible clinicians who provide higher-value care. Clinicians take part in the Quality Payment Program in one of two ways: the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Advanced Alternative Payment Models (Advanced APMs). In MIPS, the Promoting Interoperability category focuses on meaningful use of certified EHR technology, while Advanced APMs include their own requirements for participants to use certified EHR technology.
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Promoting Interoperability Programs
The Promoting Interoperability Programs for hospitals (previously known as the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs) encourage eligible hospitals and CAHs to demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology.
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CMS Regulations and Resources
ASTP/ONC’s work is related to regulations issued by other HHS and Federal agencies. ASTP/ONC also issues regulatory guidance regarding its rules.
Read about CMS payment rules and e-prescribing regulations:
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Certification of Health IT Regulations
ASTP/ONC’s regulations define standards and certification criteria for developers and providers of Electronic Health Records to provide assurance for healthcare professionals and hospitals that the systems they adopt are capable of performing certain functions. The ONC Certification of Health IT Program also supports the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.