Today, FAH submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on its Request for Information (RFI) regarding development of a National Directory of Healthcare Providers and Services (NDH). 

FAH comments expressed support for CMS’ goal of providing consumers with directories that contain aggregated information about healthcare providers through development of an NDH.  Yet, the comments also detailed key concerns that such an effort may be too ambitious and burdensome and, as a practical matter, may not be able to effectively accomplish its mission, while at the same time unnecessarily diverting limited federal resources which could be better utilized to remedy existing shortcomings with provider directories. 

Specifically, the letter raised the concern that if health plans are not legally required to participate in the NDH and remain free to require contracted providers to separately report directory information to the plan, the NDH would create significant burdens while failing to achieve critical efficiencies.  As a result, FAH recommended that CMS use its existing legal authority to focus on those aspects of provider directories that currently need improvement and develop appropriate remedies that are most helpful for improving consumer care and access to that care. 

You can read the entire comment letter here.