The American Dental Association told CMS it would like to see the agency promote standards for electronic health records that are compatible with the dental industry.
The dental organization's comments were part of its response to CMS' proposed rule, Administrative Simplification: Adoption of Standards for Health Care Attachments Transactions and Electronic Signatures, and Modification to Referral Certification and Authorization Transaction Standard.
The ADA applauded CMS for adopting standards for healthcare attachment transactions and electronic signatures in a March 20 letter. But it added that this would not benefit the dental industry until electronic dental record and practice management systems are required to adopt standards that facilitate electronic data interchange. It also asked that administrative simplification standards set under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 include requiring the CDT for dental procedures.
The ADA also requested that CMS consider adopting standards tailored to orthodontics and periodontics and provide technical support and incentives for the dental industry in piloting standards set in CMS' final rule.
Click here to read the full letter.