23 Sep Health Data News Roundup: Social Determinants and Payers; Proposed Interoperability and Health Plans; and VA Launches VITAL

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.

GAO: Staff Shortages, Social Factors Barriers to Treating High-Cost Medicaid Beneficiaries
Social determinants of health such as a lack of stable transportation or housing are making it difficult for states and managed care organizations to treat the most expensive Medicaid beneficiaries, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

CMS Official Notes Proposed Interoperability Rule Will Impact Health Plans
At AHIMA19, a CMS official stated that the proposed interoperability rule requires payers to build patient APIs, which would be expected to function similar to the government’s Blue Button initiative.

AHA: Proposed CMS Rule Hinders Medicaid Reimbursements
American Hospital Association (AHA) is concerned that the recent CMS proposal to relax the 2015 mandatory Medicaid access monitoring review plans will limit providers’ ability to confront Medicaid reimbursement failures and remove needed oversight of states’ access to care.

Payer Industry Consolidation Threatens Independent Providers, Premiums
Seventy-five percent of the payer industry is made up of highly concentrated markets, a number that has been rising since 2014, an American Medical Association (AMA) study found.

Most Providers Don’t Screen for Social Determinants of Health
Most U.S. physician practices and hospitals are screening patients for at least one social need, but only a small percentage are screening for all five social needs recommended by the federal government, according to a new study.

VA Launches VITAL Training Program for New EHR System
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched a new training program, VA Innovative Technology Advancement Lab (VITAL) to support its brand-new electronic health record (EHR) modernization system.

Pew: Congress Should Adopt ONC Guidelines for Cures API Mandates
Congress should adopt the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT’s (ONC’s) guidelines for adopting application programming interfaces (APIs) into health data and EHR use, according to Pew Charitable Trusts.