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The Cost of Low HEDIS Scores, and How to Improve Them

Written by Smile Digital Health | Jul 10, 2025 3:27:40 PM

HEDIS® in 2025                                    

HEDIS (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) is a foundational tool used by NCQA and CMS for evaluating health plan performance. Today, HEDIS enables payers to monitor quality, identify care gaps, and demonstrate value across six domains:

With over 90 individual measures, HEDIS drives accountability and performance-based reimbursement. As an increasing number of measures shifts to reporting via ECDS, digital-first quality tracking offers an opportunity to:

Broaden measurable care areas
Enable real-time quality improvement
Elevate cost-efficient, value-based care

Payer Data and HEDIS Scores

Low HEDIS scores signal care shortfalls and expose payers to serious risk, including:

  • Low Star Ratings, which impact market share
  • Member attrition
  • Reduced reimbursements or increased penalties
  • Plan closure

Payers need high quality data that is comprehensive, interoperable, and clinically contextual in order to demonstrate quality care. Current collection methods are reactive and admin-heavy, often taking weeks or even months, just to prepare audited submissions for NCQA.