This bill postpones the switch to digital health reporting for healthcare organizations, allowing time for testing and developing new standards. This matters because it gives organizations more time to adapt to changes in healthcare reporting requirements.
Health Care Efficiency Through Flexibility Act This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to delay certain requirements relating to the reporting of quality measures by accountable care organizations (ACOs) under the Medicare Shared Savings Program and to also test alternative reporting methods for ACOs. (The Medicare Shared Savings Program enables ACOs to receive payments for savings stemming from care coordination and management.) Specifically, the CMS must delay the requirement that ACOs use a specified electronic system for reporting quality measures until January 1, 2030. Additionally, the CMS must establish a pilot program to test other digital reporting methods; ACOs that participate in the pilot program are exempt from using the existing electronic system. The CMS must also implement standards for digital reporting by January 1, 2030, that ensure all electronic health record systems used by ACOs are able to support reporting across a range of practice sizes, specialties, and geographic locations. ACOs may use existing reporting methods until the standards are implemented.