Digital Government

Medicare chief wants health record vendors to ease access

The head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services put EHR vendors on notice that they had to do more to improve data interoperability.

Digital Government

GAO calls for improved security for HealthCare.Gov

The nonpartisan Capitol Hill watchdog greeted the sixth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act with a bracing dose of oversight about the security weaknesses of HealthCare.Gov.

Digital Government

Watchdogs glean IT lessons from HealthCare.Gov failures

Representatives from GAO and HHS' Office of the Inspector General examine the failures, successes and takeaways from the first five years of Affordable Care Act implementation and technology.

Digital Government

High-level management failures doomed HealthCare.gov

A comprehensive inspector general report blames high-level government mismanagement for the failed launch of HealthCare.gov.

Acquisition

CMS seeks to help states open new paths for Medicaid IT

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services launched an IT resource site that connects state governments with potential vendors that can help modernize state-run Medicaid systems.

Acquisition

CMS needs to close out contracts, watchdog says

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services aren't closing out contracts properly under federal regulations, possibly leaving money on the table with contractors according to the agency's Inspector General.

People

PSC: New research center isn't CMS' only option

As the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid updates to meet the new health-care law, one industry group says officials have more options that launching a research center.

Modernization

New Labor dashboard to cut waste, fraud

The Labor Department and White House are using a new online dashboard to highlight states in which a high percentage of unemployment benefit payments are improper.

Modernization

CMS solicits contracts for data center project

CMS hunts for contractors for virtual data center.

Digital Government

CMS' antifraud systems are underused, GAO says

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services installed two anti-fraud systems in 2006, but neither is fully functioning as intended, a report says.

Digital Government

Looking for help from veterans (again)

FCW wants to know what you think of the VA's new Blue Button personal health record Web application.

Digital Government

CMS, DOD officials honored for security work

C. Ryan Brewer, CISO at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn won awards at the RSA Conference.

People

HHS boosts rate for Medicaid enrollment IT systems

The Health and Human Services Department will increase the money paid to help states establish insurance exchanges.

Digital Government

For continuity, build telework into operations

The technology is available to enable secure, efficient access for remote working emergencies and day-to-day operations, but planning ahead is critical. Two agencies show that it can be done.

Acquisition

Focus on error-prone contractors to find improper payments, HHS IG says

Medicare could do better at identifying improper payments by looking to providers who are most likely to make errors, according to the Health and Human Services inspector general.

People

CMS puts thinking cap on, will launch new innovation center

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will spend $10 billion during the next nine years on research into how to reduce health care costs while improving quality of care.

Modernization

CMS puts Medicare personal health data at your fingertips

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rolls out a new download capability to grant 47 million Medicare patients online access to their medical records.

Digital Government

VA, Markle push blue buttons to download personal health data

The Veterans Affairs Department and the Markle Foundation are promoting "blue button" applications that would allow patients to download their personal medical data from providers and insurers.