CMS, ONC Launch Testing Initiative for Electronic Prior Authorization
CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT are launching a testing initiative with hospitals, EHR developers, payers and other healthcare organizations to identify gaps in electronic prior authorization workflows ahead of federal requirements taking effect in 2027. The effort will run 10- to 12-week testing sprints in production-like environments, focusing on high-volume clinical services using three HL7 Da Vinci FHIR implementation guides. Mitre-led Health FFRDC and Drummond Group will support recruitment and coordination, with Drummond operating a virtual testing environment called FHIRplace. Organizations, including smaller and rural ones, have until November 20 to express interest; participation is voluntary and does not confer certification or establish compliance with CMS requirements.