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1.5.26

ASTP/ONC Releases HTI-5 Proposed Rule. The Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC) released the Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: ASTP/ONC Deregulatory Actions to Unleash Prosperity (HTI-5) Proposed Rule for a 60-day comment period. The HTI-5 Proposed Rule includes deregulatory actions to update the ONC Health IT Certification Program to: (i) Reduce burden on health information technology (IT) developers by removing redundant requirements; (ii) Revise definitions to better promote electronic health information access, exchange, and use to prevent information blocking; and (iii) Advance artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled interoperability solutions. The proposed rule also changes the Certification Program’s regulatory scope to improve Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR®)-based application program interface (API) requirements in the future. The deadline to submit comments is February 27, 2026. ASTP/ONC resources include: HTI-5 Proposed Rule Overview Fact Sheet; HTI-5 Proposed Rule Chart of Proposed Changes to Certification Criteria; and HTI-5 Proposed Rule Information Session and slides.

CMS Announces Funding Awards for States’ Rural Health. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced funding awards for all 50 states, part of the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program.  In 2026, states will receive first-year awards from CMS averaging $200 million. The funding is part of the Rural Health Transformation Program’s effort to improve the health and well-being of rural communities. States are expected to address issues such as bringing more care within reach, strengthening and sustaining the rural clinical workforce, modernizing rural health infrastructure and technology, empowering community providers, and advancing innovative care models and payment reform. The $50 billion in funds will be allocated to approved states over five years, with $10 billion available each year from 2026 through 2030. Fifty percent of the funding will be distributed equally among all approved states and 50% will be allocated based on a variety of factors, as described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

ASTP/ONC Publishes RFI on Accelerating the Adoption and Use of AI in Clinical Care. ASTP/ONC published a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public comment on how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can accelerate the adoption and use of AI in clinical care. The RFI is specifically requesting feedback from those who are developing, evaluating, using, and receiving care from AI tools that are part of clinical care. Questions relate to regulation, reimbursement, research and development, and the impact of current HHS’ policies and actions on AI adoption. The deadline to submit comments is February 23, 2026.

NIST Releases Draft Cyber AI Profile with 45-Day Comment Period. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a framework addressing the overlap of cybersecurity and AI, titled “Cybersecurity Framework Profile for Artificial Intelligence (Cyber AI Profile).” The document provides guidance for using the NIST Cybersecurity Framework to strategically adopt a secure AI framework. The three focus areas are: (i) Securing AI systems; (ii) Conducting AI-enabled cyber defense; and (iii) Stopping AI-enabled cyberattacks. The initial concept paper was released in February 2025, with public input obtained through a workshop in April 2025 and a series of meetings later that summer. Comments can be submitted by completing  this form and emailing it to cyberaiprofile@nist.gov before the January 30, 2026, due date. NIST is also planning a workshop on January 14 to discuss the preliminary draft profile. Registration will open soon.

CMS Releases ICD-10 Updates for April 2026. CMS released updates for the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) and International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), effective April 1, 2026. For ICD-10-PCS, 80 new procedure codes are being added, effective April 1, 2026, for discharges and patient encounters between April 1, 2026, and September 30, 2026. The Code Tables, Index and related Addenda files are currently available. For ICD-10-CM, no new diagnosis codes will be implemented. Updates to the Tabular and Alphabetic Index addenda have been made. The ICD-10 MS-DRG Version 43.1 Grouper Software, Definitions Manual Table of Contents, and the Definitions of Medicare Code Edits Version 43.1 CMS has indicated that the manual to accommodate the new procedure codes will be available by February 1, 2026.

AHIMA Seeking Comments on SDOH White Paper, Deadline January 16. The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) is seeking comments from the public on its newly released draft white paper titled “Building Patient Trust in the Collection, Use, and Sharing of SDOH Data.” The paper provides an overview of various aspects of social determinants of health (SDOH) and proposes a nine-step AHIMA Framework for Building Patient Trust. The framework is intended to be used by health care professionals and care teams to build trust and assist in their work with their patients. The deadline to submit comments is January 16.

CISA Releases Cybersecurity Performance Goals 2.0 for Critical Infrastructure. The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released the updated “Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPG 2.0)” with measurable actions for critical infrastructure owners and operators to achieve a foundational level of cybersecurity. CPG 2.0 includes lessons learned, aligns with the most recent National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework revisions, and addresses the most common and serious threats to critical infrastructure. It also includes new content focused on the vital role of governance in managing cybersecurity, emphasizing accountability, risk management, and strategic integration.   

Additional Health IT News Stories. The following are additional news stories from during the holiday break:

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