14 Apr Health Data News Roundup: Healthcare AI Biases; NCQA and Digital Quality Measures; and 2026 Medicare Advantage Payment Policies

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.

LLMs Demonstrate Biases in Mount Sinai Research Study
Researchers at Mount Sinai found that generative AI models may recommend different treatments for the same medical condition based solely on a patient’s socioeconomic and demographic background, as highlighted by Healthcare innovation.

10 AI Healthcare Trends to Watch in 2025 and Beyond
AI is redefining the healthcare sector, with hospitals, health systems and large medical practices incorporating AI technologies into clinical and administrative workflows, and here are the top 10 AI healthcare trends to watch in 2025 from TechTarget.

NCQA Urges Expedited Adoption of Digital Quality Measures
A set of policy recommendations from NCQA stresses the importance of building a strong digital health infrastructure that facilitates seamless exchange, promotes adoption of digital quality measures and maximizes the full potential of interoperable healthcare data via FHIR API implementations, according to Healthcare Innovation.

CMS Releases CY 2026 Medicare Advantage Payment Policies
Medicare Advantage payments are expected to increase by an average of 5.06 percent next year, according to the recently released 2026 Rate Announcement for the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Programs.

J.D. Power: Health Insurers Fall Short of Other Industries in the Digital Consumer Experience
Consumers are using their health payers’ websites, mobile apps and other digital platforms in greater numbers, but their experiences often fall short of expectations, according to the J.D. Power 2025 Healthcare Digital Experience Study.

CMS Rebrands Medicare Advantage Health Equity Program
CMS is rebranding its Health Equity Index reward program to the Excellent Health Outcomes for All (EHO4all) reward, which is set to take effect for 2027 Medicare Advantage star ratings, according to Becker’s Payer Issues.

With an Eye on Value-Based Care, N.C. HIE Presents Health Data Utility Roadmap
The North Carolina Health Information Exchange Authority (NC HIEA) has unveiled a strategic document outlining how it plans to broaden exchange capabilities and support value-based care, according to Healthcare Innovation.