Morning Headlines 11/16/18

Lawmakers balk at $350M addition to VA’s health record deal

John Windom, director of the VA’s EHR modernization efforts, says during a congressional hearing that an additional $350 million in personnel costs will be part of the Cerner project’s already $16 billion budget.

Surescripts Prescription Price Transparency Tool Realizes Massive Provider Adoption, Achieves Breakthrough In Healthcare Market

Surescripts announces that its Real-Time Prescription Benefit tool has increased prescriber count 40-fold, and has been used 30 million times within EHRs to look up patient-specific drug price and alternative information.

HIPAA Privacy: Request for Information on Changes to Support, and Remove Barriers to, Coordinated Care

HHS OCR issues an RFI to solicit the public’s views on whether HIPAA rules prevent or discourage providers, payers, and patients from sharing information for care coordination and case management.