04 Sep Health Data News Roundup: UHIN Receives SHIEC 2018 Award; Cost Savings and Next-Gen ACOs; and HIMSS and Stark Law

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.

UHIN Receives Award at SHIEC 2018 for ONC Grant Work
SHIEC announced that UHIN received the “Advocacy and Government Relations” award at the conference for implementing a $2.5 million ONC grant to increase interoperability in key areas and programs of the state.

ACA Health Insurance Tax to Cost $16B, Lead to Higher Premiums
The Affordable Care Act’s health insurance tax (HIT) is expected to levy $16 billion in fees for health insurers by 2020, leading payers to increase premiums by an anticipated 2.2 percent, according to a new report.

Next Generation ACO Model Saved Medicare $62M in 2016
Next Generation Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) saved the Medicare program $62 million during their first year of operation in 2016, encouraging CMS to expand downside risk models across Medicare.

Payers See Cost, Quality Gains with Value-Based Payment Models

Value-based payment models are delivering on their promises to reduce costs for payers and improve the quality of care.

Alameda County to Launch Ambitious Social Health Information Exchange
Next year, Alameda County, Calif., will launch a social health information exchange (SHIE) and community health record (CHR), focused initially on high utilizers of medical, behavioral, housing and emergency services.

HIMSS: Stark Law Hinders Care Coordination, Health Data Exchange
The Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law, places unnecessary administrative burdens on providers while hindering care coordination and health data exchange, according to a letter from HIMSS to CMS Administrator Seema Verma.

Boosting EHR Usability, Safety Throughout the EHR Life Cycle
A new report from AMA, Pew Charitable Trusts, and MedStar Health outlines recommendations on how stakeholders can improve EHR usability and safety throughout the entire EHR life cycle, as well as criteria for rigorous safety tests.