02 Jul Health Data News Roundup: Stopping Improper Medicare and Medicaid Payments; Improving Patient Matching; and Reducing Reporting Admin Burden

Welcome to the Health Data Weekly News Roundup from IMAT Solutions. As the power of data continues to grow in the healthcare arena, today’s care organizations need to be on the forefront of all news and trends to help ensure that their data analytics efforts deliver accountable and informed care. Each week, we will provide you with the actionable news you need to meet these goals.

Senators: Stop $89B in Medicare, Medicaid Improper Payments
The US Senate Budget Committee has authored a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar urging the department to address approximately $89 billion in improper payments within Medicare and Medicaid.

CMS to Develop New Medicaid Program Integrity Initiatives
CMS has announced a new set of Medicaid program integrity initiatives that leverage enhanced data sharing, claims auditing, and provider education to reduce the incidence of improper payments and help secure program finances.

AHA Opposes Linkage of Interoperability to Medicare Participation
The American Hospital Association has come out against federal proposals to link requirements to promote interoperability to conditions of participation in the Medicare program for hospitals and critical access hospitals.

Eight States Partner for Medicaid Transformation, Data Analytics
The National Governors Association (NGA) has selected eight states from across the nation to participate in a health data exchange and data analytics collaborative intended to foster innovation in Medicaid.

How to Drive Enrollment in the ACA Health Plan Marketplaces
Payers and states wishing to increase enrollment in the ACA health plan marketplaces should create targeted advertisements, benchmark silver-tier plans as their primary exchange plan, and help consumers navigate health plan purchases, according to a new study.

MedPAC: Value-Based Payment, Post-Acute Care Boost Medicare Savings
MedPAC has advised Congress that value-based payment reform and encouraging the use of post-acute care can help the Medicare program increase savings and improve beneficiary outcomes.

AMGA Endorses Standardized Quality Measure Set to Simplify Reporting
The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) Board of Directors recently endorsed a set of 14 standardized quality measures as part of an effort to reduce the administrative burden associated with reporting requirements.

Focal Areas for Improving Patient Matching in Provider Settings
Accurate patient identification is a critical aspect of healthcare, especially as healthcare organizations are implementing new EHRs and connecting to HIEs in the push toward nationwide interoperability, according to a new study.