ONC Announces New LEAP Grant Funding Opportunity
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) is offering a new round of Leading Edge Acceleration Projects (LEAP) grants to advance innovations for artificial intelligence (AI) with better data quality and behavioral health IT adoption. The grants total up to $1 million for each project addressing these emerging challenges for health IT interoperability. (Healthcare IT News, 5/13)
LA Care Partners With LANES To Enable FHIR
The largest health plan in Los Angeles County, LA Care Health Plan, has announced an initiative to leverage FHIR data standards to enhance interoperability with LANES, a DxF qualified health information organization (QHIO) based in Los Angeles County. By adopting FHIR, LA Care aims to improve real-time data exchange, existing workflows, and care coordination to support the CalAIM initiative. (LANES, 5/6)
CA Attorney General Bonta Urges Revisions To Federal Data Privacy Legislation
California Attorney General Bonta wrote a letter to Congress urging the removal of preemptive language from the current draft of the American Privacy Rights Act (APRA), proposed federal legislation that may weaken privacy protections for Californians. Bonta, a long-standing supporter of privacy protections, recommends that a federal framework should establish a privacy floor rather than a ceiling, allowing states like California to retain and strengthen protections. (State of California Department of Justice, 5/8)
Information Blocking Clarifications For New HIPAA Privacy Rule
In the wake of the recent HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy, ONC clarifies that complying with the new final rule will not be considered information blocking under federal regulations. ONC also shares information blocking reminders, including that the regulations consider applicable federal and state law, regulations are designed to evolve and adapt to new privacy laws, and it is not considered information blocking to ensure that preconditions are first satisfied before disclosing data for permitted reasons. (ONC, 5/13)
