The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC), is inviting public input on how to enhance digital health tools for Medicare beneficiaries. The request for information aims to support the development of a more secure, user-friendly, and patient-centered digital health infrastructure. Individuals and groups—including patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, payers, and technology developers—are encouraged to submit comments through the Regulations.gov platform.
CMS is looking to expand on existing efforts like Blue Button 2.0 and the Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule. Key areas of focus include promoting the use of digital tools that assist with care navigation and chronic condition management, improving access to health data through standards-based systems, and identifying obstacles to seamless data exchange. The agency is also interested in strategies to ease administrative workload and encourage value-based care models. According to Stephanie Carlton, CMS Chief of Staff and Deputy Administrator, “We are building a future where seniors and families have the digital tools they need at their fingertips—tools that help them make informed choices, manage chronic conditions, and stay healthy. The government must be a catalyst, not a barrier, to unleashing American innovation in health care.”
