The Trump administration launched a new “digital health ecosystem” yesterday, partnering with Google, Amazon, Apple, and 60+ companies to store Americans’ health data on private apps. At a White House event, President Trump announced the system will let patients access medical records without fax machines or delays. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) head Dr. Mehmet Oz called it a “tool to empower patients,” focusing first on diabetes care, weight management, and AI health assistants. Though optional, the program could include data from 140+ million Medicare/Medicaid users if they opt in. Hospitals cheer, privacy experts panic Major hospitals like Cleveland Clinic back the plan, saying it solves critical problems. “Patients struggle to gather records from multiple doctors,” said CEO Tomislav Mihaljevic, noting this sometimes causes dangerous treatment delays. Fitness app Noom will soon analyze users’ medical tests to personalize weight loss advice, something CEO Geoff Cook calls revolutionary since “data is now siloed”. Apps track diet/exercise and share insights with doctors AI chatbots suggest treatments based on your records Hospitals access full health histories during emergencies Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—a tech enthusiast—wants this data to study autism and vaccine safety . CMS will also recommend “approved apps” on Medicare.gov for chronic disease management . Critics highlight the administration’s poor data-protection record, noting CMS recently shared patient addresses with deportation officials. While CMS promises military-grade security, experts note health apps face almost no government oversight. As patients weigh convenience against privacy, this system, set to launch in 2026, could reshape who controls America’s most sensitive information . Source link Post navigation Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh to be next Vice Chief of Army Staff, all you need to know Booze in energy cans: High Noon recalls vodka seltzer packs after dangerous mix-up
