The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is asking industry experts to weigh in on how federal regulation, reimbursement, and research policies can better support and accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in clinical care.
In a draft request for information (RFI) set to publish Tuesday, HHS said it wants input on how digital health and software regulatory frameworks should modernize to incorporate AI tools while protecting patients, and how reimbursement structures can be simplified and aligned for the use of emerging technologies.
It also wants feedback on how research and development investments can support the integration of AI in care delivery, and input on best practices during complex clinical scenarios involving AI.
“Artificial intelligence is powered by data. Data liquidity and the trust patients and providers have in how data moves are essential,” Dr. Thomas Keane, assistant secretary for technology policy and national coordinator for health IT, said in a statement. “Through our interoperability work, we are designing for both, bringing true data access to patients and enabling AI. We look forward to hearing how these tools can best strengthen care.”
HHS officials said the RFI is meant to accompany the department’s “OneHHS” AI strategy, which was rolled out last month.
Some of the goals of the RFI are to create pathways to improve patient and caregiver experiences and outcomes, reduce provider burden, improve quality of care, and cut health care costs for patients and the government, HHS said.
The department added that those goals will be met while focusing on interoperability and securing patient data under HIPAA laws.
HHS said it wants broad feedback, particularly from clinical AI developers, deployers, evaluators, and those receiving care supported by AI tools. It also wants feedback from those who “wish to do so but face barriers.”
Recent legislation introduced in the House similarly looked at modernizing payment systems for emerging technologies and proposed a new temporary Medicare payment code for AI-enabled medical devices to open access to new technologies for small and rural hospitals.
“Given the inherent flaws in legacy payment systems, we seek to ensure that the potential promises of AI innovations are not diminished through inertia and instead such payment systems are modernized to meet the needs of a changing healthcare system,” HHS said in the RFI.
“We seek feedback on payment policy changes that ensure payers have the incentive and ability to promote access to high value AI clinical interventions, foster competition among clinical care AI tool builders, and accelerate access to and affordability of AI tools for clinical care,” HHS added.
Responses to the RFI will be due by Feb. 21, according to the draft RFI.