INSIGHTS
April 13, 2026

Policy 🤝 product

Nine months after CMS launched the Health Tech Ecosystem, last week's first wave showcase put some real numbers behind the initiative: 700+ organizations pledged, 120+ products ready (or nearly so), 50+ companies presenting live tools alongside new CMS infrastructure like a CMS Blue Button API and a vetted Medicare app library. The two goals Dr. Oz keeps returning to—"kill the clipboard" (unlocking patient-led data sharing via QR code scans) and "unleash AI" (putting that data to work for personalized guidance)—are starting to show up in actual products and partnerships.

Examples on the patient side include b.well Connected Health's partnerships with Noom, Humana, and Welldoc, all announced on the same day as part of their ecosystem commitments. Noom's integration, Health Record Connect, lets Medicare beneficiaries pull diagnoses, medications, and lab results directly into the app. Clover Health and HealthEx made a similar move for MA members, rolling out AI-enabled data sharing tools that don’t require navigating multiple portals. Meanwhile, EHR eClinicalWorks addressed the provider end, announcing production support for “kill the clipboard,” allowing patients to generate a smart health QR code from their records for providers to scan, and the data appears in the EHR at the point of care.

Interoperability intention is easy; interoperability in practice is hard. The gap between the two has doomed more than a few well-meaning initiatives. What's different this time, at least so far, is that the products are arriving alongside the policy momentum—a new and notable industry dynamic.

One in three consumers now use AI chatbots for health questions—double last year's share. On April 22, Rock Health Advisory is hosting a webinar to unpack what that shift means for enterprises, in conversation with leaders from Ochsner Health,United States of Care, and b.well Connected Health. We’ll share additional data on who the AI health consumer is today and what happens after the AI query, plus practical guidance on what it takes to build the always-on experiences consumers now expect. To join us next week, register here.

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