CMS seeks to close gaps in health equity data collection as new measures roll out

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a blog post late Thursday outlining steps to address data issues such as aligning standards for collection and gradually implementing equity scores.

“Data can tell a story, but if the data is incomplete or unaligned, the story is also incomplete,” wrote LaShawn McIver, M.D., director of CMS’ Office of Minority Health. “To work to advance health equity, we must improve our data, especially our health equity data.”

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has made closing equity gaps...