Policy & oversight
CMS Marks One Year of Medicare's Digital Health Initiative, Highlighting App Library and Expanded Data Sharing
At an August 3 gathering with government and technology leaders, CMS cited progress on the Medicare App Library, an expanded Blue Button data service, and a National Provider Directory as the initiative enters its second year.
By the Goodsurance editorial teamAugust 1, 2026
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services convened government and technology sector leaders on August 3, 2026, to mark one year since the agency announced an effort to build a modern digital health infrastructure for Medicare beneficiaries.
A centerpiece of the initiative is the Medicare App Library, a catalog of vetted digital health applications that beneficiaries can connect to their Medicare.gov account. To appear in the library, apps must satisfy CMS standards for security, privacy, and interoperability, and integrate with a government-aligned health data network using FHIR-based data exchange. Beneficiaries must log into Medicare.gov to access connected-app features.
Medicare's vetted App Library is open, connecting your claims data to approved health tools, with drug price estimates and a provider directory on the way.
CMS also cited progress on an expanded version of Blue Button, the service that lets Medicare beneficiaries share their own claims data with authorized applications and providers they choose. A National Provider Directory, intended to give beneficiaries a more reliable way to check whether specific doctors or hospitals participate in any plan they are considering, was listed as a priority under active development.
The agency reported that more than 700 organizations have joined the initiative since it was first announced. A first wave of patient-facing tools launched in April 2026. Areas targeted for future development include real-time drug cost estimates, appointment scheduling, clinical trial matching, and bulk data-exchange capabilities for health systems.
The administration has framed the initiative as part of a broader goal of moving Medicare away from paper-based processes toward a system where beneficiaries can hold and act on their own health data.
In plain words
Medicare is building digital tools to help people manage their own health information. One new tool is the Medicare App Library, which lists trusted health apps that connect safely to your Medicare account. CMS checked these apps for safety and privacy before listing them. You can use them to see your Medicare records or help manage your care. There is also a tool called Blue Button that lets you share your Medicare claims data with doctors or apps you choose. Medicare is also working on a provider directory so you can more easily check whether your doctor is in a plan you are considering. More than 700 companies and organizations have joined this effort. More features are coming, including real-time drug price estimates and online appointment scheduling. You need a Medicare.gov login to use these features.
Understand the basics first
Source: CMS
Read at the source →