11 Mar Health Data News Roundup: CMS and Purchasing Insurance Across State Lines; CHIME and EHR Matching; and Sequoia Project and Information Blocking

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.

CMS Seeks Comment on Purchasing Health Insurance Across State Lines
CMS is soliciting public comments on strategies that would allow enrollees to purchase health insurance across state lines in an effort to increase competition and improve affordability for consumers.

Affordability Concerns Lead Consumers to Short-Term Health Plans
Consumers are turning to short-term health plans primarily because they cannot afford other options, according to a new survey.

CHIME Cites Lack of True Interoperability as Source of Health Costs
In a response to a federal request for information (RFI) about how to address rising healthcare costs, CHIME recommended the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions focus on advancing interoperability and improving patient EHR matching.

New Sequoia Project Workgroup Zeroes in on Information Blocking
The Sequoia Project has launched a new workgroup as part of its Interoperability Matters cooperative centered on addressing longstanding issues with information blocking.

Early Phase EHR Adopters Focus on Health IT Infrastructure
Healthcare organizations in the early phase of EHR adoption are focused primarily on health IT infrastructure, such as interoperability and data security, according to a recent CHIME roundtable.

EHRA Urges CMS, ONC to Extend Interoperability Rule Comment Period
The EHR Association (EHRA) recently issued letters to ONC and CMS requesting a 30-day extension of the comment period for the federal agencies’ proposed rules on interoperability and information blocking.

6 Top Challenges to Successful Data Integration
Data variety, velocity, veracity, volume and sources are among the top factors affecting whether an organization can successfully integrate disparate data, according to Health Data Management.