05 Dec Health Data News Roundup: NCQA and Elevance Health Medicaid Plans; BCBS Massachusetts Expands; and Health Equity in the Spotlight

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.

NCQA Confers Health Equity Accreditation on Elevance Health Medicaid Plans
Elevance Health announced that 21 Medicaid plans have achieved health equity accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

How Health Insurance Coverage Varies Across, Within Families
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) increased access to Medicaid and group health insurance, but the family glitch created a barrier to non-group coverage, leading to variations in health insurance coverage across families, a brief from the Employee Benefit Researcher Institute (EBRI) found.

35% More MA Plans Offering Home-Based Supplemental Benefits in 2023
More Medicare Advantage plans are offering supplemental benefits in 2023, including in-home support services and home-based palliative care, according to a report commissioned by Better Medicare Alliance (BMA), prepared by consulting firm Milliman.

BCBS Massachusetts Expands Mental Health Network as Visits Double
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is expanding its mental healthcare options in response to in-person and virtual visits for those services doubling since 2019.

Payers, Providers Work to Keep Health Equity in the Spotlight
Payers and providers must work together now to ensure lasting improvement in health equity, according to Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, administrator of the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

CalHHS Launches Portal for State’s First Health Data Sharing Agreement
The California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) has launched an online portal allowing healthcare stakeholders to sign on to California’s first-ever HHS Data Sharing Agreement ahead of a state-mandated deadline on January 31, 2023.

Pew Focuses Health IT Efforts on Public Health Data Sharing
Pew Charitable Trusts is working to improve health IT infrastructure for data sharing between healthcare providers and state public health agencies.