Imagine what the nation’s COVID-19 response could be if we had a fully operational national health information exchange that could knit together the EHRs of every hospital, physician practice and public health agency in the nation.

The ban applies to patients regardless of whether they have commercial, government or employer-sponsored coverage.

The CMS hopes to free up health system capacity by hitting the pause button on several rules to allow providers to practice across state lines and at their top of license.

The change came one day after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who championed Medicare for All, dropped out of the presidential race.