100 Most Influential People in Healthcare - 2024

O’Kane, who founded the NCQA, has served as its president for nearly 35 years. This year, more than 216 million people — equivalent to about 65% of the U.S. population — belonged to plans that use the organization’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set to monitor quality of care. It also announced plans to add measures tracking health plans’ rates of mammogram result documentation, breast cancer assessment follow-ups and hypertensive patients’ blood pressure control. It applied race and ethnicity stratifications to nine HEDIS measures with the goal of improving data accuracy, and it expanded breast and cervical cancer screening measures to include transgender people. O’Kane is committed to helping consumers make informed health decisions and improving care for disabled people, as evidenced by her membership on the boards of the Institute for Exceptional Care and Healthwise.