New CMS Framework Aims to Revolutionize Health Data Sharing
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has unveiled a sweeping initiative designed to revolutionize how health care data is shared across the US. Dubbed the Health Tech Ecosystem, the program brings together over 60 organizations, including tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Apple, along with major health care players such as UnitedHealth, Epic, and Intermountain Health, in a concerted effort to break down the longstanding barriers to interoperability in health care. At the core of this initiative is the CMS Interoperability Framework, a voluntary blueprint intended to accelerate secure, real-time access to patient data through health IT systems and digital tools.
This move is the latest in a string of efforts to address health care’s persistent data fragmentation problem. Despite years of regulatory pressure and the rollout of frameworks like the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), health care providers and insurers still struggle to share data efficiently. Many systems remain reliant on outdated technologies like fax machines, limiting the sector’s ability to adapt to more patient-centric, digitally enabled care models. The new initiative aims to build on recent momentum—TEFCA’s network of Qualified Health Information Networks (QHINs) has grown to 9—to offer a faster path forward, encouraging health systems to embrace more open, standards-based data exchange models.
The CMS Interoperability Framework sets forth ambitious expectations. It envisions a future where patients can seamlessly access their electronic medical records, claims data, prior authorizations, and other health care documentation through apps of their choosing, regardless of which provider or insurer holds the data. It also pushes for real-time responsiveness to data queries, a sharp departure from the delayed, manual processes that characterize much of the industry today. According to CMS Administrator Dr Mehmet Oz, this represents a paradigm shift aimed at bringing health care in line with the digital transformations already seen in other sectors.
Major endorsements from groups like AdvaMed underscore the stakes. Shaye Mandle, who leads AdvaMed’s Digital Health Tech division, called the initiative a critical step toward realizing the full promise of personalized medicine. For medtech innovators, timely and comprehensive access to clinical data is essential for designing, testing, and deploying next-generation health technologies. Mandle also emphasized the need for robust privacy protections, warning that the benefits of interoperability must not come at the cost of patient trust.
The scope of participation in the initiative is wide-ranging. Twenty-one organizations have committed to becoming CMS Aligned Networks, including established health IT vendors like Epic, Oracle Health, and athenahealth. Eleven prominent health systems, such as Cleveland Clinic and Bon Secours Mercy Health, have also signed on, pledging to streamline patient intake and eliminate paperwork redundancies like the traditional clipboard. Additionally, 30 major technology companies are focused on developing tools that enable patients to retrieve and share their health data, supporting better management of chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity.
While CMS has yet to clarify how this new ecosystem will integrate with TEFCA, the agency's push for broader, more agile data sharing represents a significant escalation in the drive toward a more connected, patient-empowered healthcare system. If successful, it could mark a defining moment in the industry's digital evolution.
Reference
Olsen E. Trump administration launches health data sharing initiative. MedTechDive. Published July 31, 2025. Accessed August 7, 2025. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/trump-administration-cms-data-sharing-health-tech-ecosystem/756450/
