AdvaMed Commends Progress On HHS “Regulatory Sprint To Coordinated Care”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Scott Whitaker, president and CEO of the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed), issued the following statement on the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS’s) progress on the agency’s “Regulatory Sprint To Coordinated Care,” as reflected in today’s proposed rule regarding the confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records:

“AdvaMed welcomes this proposed rule, which aims to help address the nation’s opioid crisis. It also represents the first piece of HHS’s broader ‘Regulatory Sprint To Coordinated Care,’ which is designed to help accelerate the health care system’s shift away from traditional fee-for-service, volume-based payment toward a value-based system that includes better coordination of patient care.

“While we are reviewing the proposed rule, it’s clear that realization of the full benefit of patient-centered, value-based health care will also require modernization of existing safe harbors under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS). Another proposed rule that would do just that – and allow broader participation by medtech companies in more extensive and more patient-centered arrangements – was submitted for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review in June, and we are hopeful that it will be issued in the coming weeks.

“We commend HHS Secretary Azar, Deputy Secretary Hargan, and the Administration for their hard work on behalf of America’s patients, and look forward to further progress.”