Background:

In December of 2016, the 21st Century Cures Act was signed into law, and in March 2020, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) released its 21st Century Cures Final Rule (“Final Rule”) in order to implement key provisions of the law. This Final Rule was set to go into effect on June 30, 2020. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), the health care industry shifted focus and resources to caring for patients impacted by the virus.

Although ONC previously announced a delay of many compliance deadlines to November 2, 2020, many of the key actors did not feel ready or prepared to comply due to COVID-19. The purpose of this Interim Final Rule (IFC) letter is to outline the newly delayed compliance dates. This will allow actors to continue focusing primarily on combating COVID-19, without the added pressure of meeting strict compliance rules. The flexibility of these dates aims to strike a balance between relieving pressure on actors and care providers, while also working to establish greater interoperability to enhance patient care in a timely manner.

Download the full summary below.