23 Jun Health Data News Roundup: Tariffs and Rising Premiums; Moving Beyond Ambient AI Scribes; and MA Patients Longer Hospital Stays

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.

What Will Be Healthcare’s Next Big AI Use Case Following Ambient Scribes?
While there’s excitement around other categories like AI agents and denials management, no other AI use case has achieved ambient scribes’ level of traction, noted Kaiser Permanente’s Daniel Yang in this recent MedCity News article.

Tariffs Threats Contribute to Rising Premiums
Multiple insurers, including UnitedHealthcare plans in New York, Maryland and Oregon, and Independent Health have cited tariffs on pharmaceuticals as one reason behind their requests for higher premiums in 2026, according to a recent KFF analysis.

Report: Medicare Advantage Patients Face Longer Hospital Stays
New research conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago found that Medicare Advantage enrollees are more likely to face longer hospital stays and less likely to receive certain follow-up care than traditional Medicare beneficiaries, according to xtelligent Healthcare Payers.

Cigna to Launch 6 New AI Features in Member Portal
Cigna is launching several new AI-powered digital features to enhance the member experience, such as checking benefits coverage and estimating costs, according xtelligent Healthcare Payers.

Report: 96% of AHIP 25 Attendees Surveyed Rank Value-Based Reimbursement Optimization as Top Priority
The results of a recent Black Book AHIP 2025 survey overwhelmingly indicate that Value-Based Reimbursement Optimization (VBRO) is now critical to organizational success under CMS and state payment reforms, according to this Black Book press release.

Health-Related Social Services Organizations Joining Manifest MedEx Network
Health-related social services (HRSS) organizations can now connect and exchange health and HRSS information through Manifest MedEx (MX) to help those experiencing health-related social needs and support California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM), according to Healthcare Innovation.