CMS creates Office of Health Technology and Products: 7 things to know

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has established a new Office of Health Technology and Products to oversee healthcare technology modernization, digital products and platform transformation across the agency’s programs.

The organizational change was approved by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. June 9 and took effect the same day, according to a notice published in the Federal Register.

Here are seven things to know about the new office:

1. The office will provide enterprise leadership for CMS healthcare technology and digital product strategy supporting Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and other CMS-administered programs. 
   
   
2. The office will work in coordination with the agency’s CIO, who will continue to oversee enterprise IT governance, cybersecurity, enterprise architecture, capital planning and other statutory responsibilities.
   
   
3. The Office of Health Technology and Products will oversee the design, development and operation of CMS digital products and platforms, including systems used by beneficiaries, providers and states. The office also will lead beneficiary engagement platforms such as Medicare.gov and related tools.
   
   
4. CMS said the office will direct modernization efforts for national healthcare infrastructure services, including the National Provider Directory, the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System and the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System. It also will oversee modernization and replatforming efforts for Medicare claims processing and payment systems.
   
   
5. The office’s responsibilities will include supporting Medicaid and CHIP technology modernization, promoting interoperability and secure data exchange, coordinating technology governance across CMS product portfolios and advancing the use of AI across CMS digital products and platforms. The office also will advise CMS leadership on AI opportunities, risks and governance. 
   
   
6. The new organization includes several groups and divisions, including an Open Source Program Group, a Standards & Interoperability Group, a Product Development Group and Digital Service at CMS. The Standards & Interoperability Group will oversee interoperability strategy, policy development and standards advancement, while the Product Development Group will manage the design, delivery and ongoing operation of CMS digital products and platforms.
   
   
7. CMS said the Open Source Program Group will promote open-source software development and reuse across CMS and HHS, while Digital Service at CMS will support short-term technology initiatives and provide rapid-delivery capabilities for priority projects.

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