The Standard | The Official Blog of HL7

The State of Electronic Prior Authorization: From Policy to Production

Written by Leslie Amorós | Sep 22, 2026, 3:18:21 PM

CMS, ONC & Industry Leaders Deliver Comprehensive ePA Update Sept. 30

Electronic prior authorization (ePA) has moved beyond concept and pilot testing. Payers, providers, and vendors are now actively in production or building toward production. That shift raises a natural question for the industry: where does the industry stand today, and what's the path from here?

Join the HL7 Da Vinci Project for the September Community Roundtable on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, from 4 – 5:30 p.m. ET. This session will provide a concise overview of the latest regulatory and policy developments, including updates on federal activities, followed by the current status of the Da Vinci Prior Authorization Implementation Guides, pilots and related resources that are helping organizations prepare for implementation.

Featured Presenters

  • Karen Ashton, MultiCare Connected Care
  • Michael Gould, ZeOmega and HL7 Da Vinci Project Architecture Group
  • David Koppel, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
  • Lloyd McKenzie, Dogwood Health Consulting and HL7 Da Vinci Project
  • Jeffery Smith, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)
  • Denise St. Clair, Global Alliant Inc and HL7 Da Vinci Project PMO
  • Moderator: Casey Thompson, HL7 Da Vinci Project Program Coordinator; Consultant, Point-of-Care Partners

Participants will learn about industry readiness efforts, implementation support resources, and the growing ecosystem of tools available through Da Vinci. The session will explore the latest ePA capabilities, including current and emerging implementation guide versions, highlighting how organizations are advancing from planning to real-world deployment.

The program concludes with a panel discussion where panelists will share lessons learned, discuss known implementation challenges, explore how industry stakeholders are collaborating to achieve scalable success, and provide insight into the evolution of standards and future versions of the Da Vinci implementation guides.

Whether your organization is just beginning its ePA journey or already moving into production, this session will provide practical guidance, implementation perspectives, and a clear view of where electronic prior authorization is headed next.

Join the Discussion: The State of Electronic Prior Authorization: From Policy to Production

📅 Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
🕓 Time: 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. ET
💻 Location: Virtual (Free & open to the public)
🔗Register: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SdA8EaOZSVaYMljRiiCuzQ#/registration

We encourage you to review prior sessions' recordings for additional context.

About the Da Vinci Community Roundtable

The HL7 Da Vinci Project hosts monthly Community Roundtables to share real-world FHIR implementation experiences, highlight lessons learned, and foster collaboration across payers, providers, vendors, and government agencies. These virtual sessions help to educate industry and accelerate adoption of HL7 FHIR standards to achieve scalable, actionable interoperability that supports value-based care and care coordination. Sessions are recorded and available online after the event.

Learn more about the HL7 Da Vinci Project and join the community by following us on LinkedIn.