In 2021, investors poured a record amount of capital into health care, and industry insiders say that the flood of cash is likely to continue flowing in 2022. Experts predict that investments in health tech, which drew the highest level of investment of any health care sector last year, will continue to grow — and carriers may want to make a splash in new areas of business.

According to a white paper prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), deals in the U.S. health care sector increased by 56%, for a total volume of $203 billion, through Nov. 15, 2021, compared to the same period in 2020. Meanwhile, a report by Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) found that venture capital funding of health care startups in the U.S. and Europe hit $80 billion, “beating 2020’s record by more than 30%.”

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning within health care — from clinical decision-making tools to population health stratification efforts — is loaded with potential, but experts warn that embedded data flaws can heighten health disparities and stanch the promise of an equitable playing field for consumers.

As AI-fueled devices and algorithms gain in popularity and practical use, regulators are increasingly taking notice. Multiple agencies, including HHS, the FDA and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) are quickly adopting regulatory frameworks to address health equity within big data.

Here’s how major health insurers’ stock performed in December 2021.

On Jan. 10, the U.S. reported 1.35 million new coronavirus cases as the highly contagious Omicron variant swept across the nation, breaking the previous daily record of 1.03 million. While a COVID-19 vaccine booster could increase immune response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s data show that only 36.7% of fully vaccinated people have received a booster dose nationwide, as of Jan. 11, 2022. Doubling the pace of booster vaccinations per day could prevent more than 41,000 deaths and 400,000 hospitalizations by the end of April, according to a recent analysis by The Commonwealth Fund.

A review of market access for non-small cell lung cancer (ALK+ or ROS1+) treatments shows that under the pharmacy benefit, about 77% of the lives under commercial formularies are covered with utilization management restrictions. Only 2% of the lives under Medicare formularies are not covered for at least one of the drugs.

As the use of real-world data in the health care system grows, a recent HHS rule giving patients electronic access to their data stands to have a huge impact on this area. And the trend doesn’t show any signs of slowing, with companies such as Amazon.com Inc., Apple Inc., Google and Microsoft Corp. exploring opportunities in the health care industry though the use of patients’ medical data. Various stakeholders within the health care industry stand to benefit from this access in a variety of ways.

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) last year issued a final rule — The 21st Century Cures Act: Interoperability, Information Blocking, and the ONC Health IT Certification Program — in order to implement some electronic health information (EHI) and interoperability provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act.