WASHINGTON, DC - Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) released the following statement after Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma announced several upcoming policy changes to bolster patient control and access to their personal health records.
“Today’s announcement is another step in ensuring patients are at the center of their health care decisions, building off the committee’s work in both the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015 and the 21st Century Cures Act. By giving patients greater access to and control of their health care data, they are able to make more informed decisions and their doctors are empowered with the information needed to provide them with optimal care. I look forward to learning more about these latest actions by CMS and further developing this important goal of putting patients at the center of their care. I believe these efforts to streamline data, reduce duplicative tests, and simplify reporting requirements will dovetail into a larger effort to reduce administrative burdens that ultimately will encourage more physicians to stay in practice and benefit patient outcomes."
