18 Feb Health Data News Roundup: Payer Consumerism and Data; Cigna Strategic Partnerships; and Patient Matching Issues

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.

Payer Consumerism Strategies Rely on Data, SDOH, Simpler Language
Data sharing, social determinants of health, and simpler language are common priorities as payers seek to strengthen and expand their consumerism strategies, according to the tenth annual 2020 Industry Pulse Report from Change Healthcare.

Humana Primary Care Clinics Boost Senior Patient Care Access
Humana’s subsidiary Partners in Primary Care is entering a joint venture with Welsh, Carson, Anderson and Stowe (WCAS) to give Medicare Advantage members access to care through value-based primary care centers.

Cigna Starts 3 Strategic Partnerships While Closing 2019 M&A Deals
Payers are pairing the news of finalized 2019 mergers and acquisitions with new partnership announcements, such as Cigna with its three new partnerships in its recent fourth quarter 2019 earnings call.

CVS Health Slated $67M for Housing Security, SDOH in 2019
CVS Health invested a total of $67 million in affordable housing units in 2019 as a part of its efforts to address housing security and the social determinants of health.

The Sequoia Project Announces Work Group Under TEFCA
The Sequoia Project has announced it will create the Common Agreement Work Group (CAWG) to develop the Common Agreement under the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA).

Health Pros: ONC Should Publish Interoperability Rule Immediately
Four healthcare professionals are advising the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to ignore efforts from Epic Systems to delay the proposed interoperability and data blocking rule, which is intended to make it easier to share medical information.

Patient Matching Hurt by Data Errors, Lack of Government Support
Patient matching accuracy and rates across the country continue to be a challenge for hospitals and health information exchanges (HIEs), according to a survey conducted by the eHealth Initiative Foundation.