CMS Creates New Office to Oversee AI and Digital Health Tools

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services established the Office of Health Technology Products in July 2026. The new office is responsible for overseeing artificial intelligence, interoperability, and digital health tools across CMS programs.

The office focuses on modernizing CMS technology infrastructure and strengthening health data policies. It will coordinate the agency's approach to AI-powered clinical tools, virtual care platforms, and data exchange standards.

The move comes as AI adoption in healthcare accelerates. Researchers at the University of Chicago recently published a wearable AI patch that detects heart arrhythmias with 99.6 percent accuracy. Canary Speech launched an AI vocal biomarker platform that analyzes speech during telehealth visits to detect early signs of depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline.

The World Health Organization issued a separate caution in July 2026, warning against overreliance on AI in health policy. The WHO called for AI to support, not replace, human judgment in decision-making, and flagged risks including bias and data gaps.

The new CMS office will also address telehealth policy. The American Telemedicine Association's advocacy group met with Congress in July to push for permanent Medicare telehealth flexibilities and expanded cross-state care options.

Representative Jahana Hayes introduced the Fair Telehealth Billing Act of 2026 (H.R. 9431) to ban separate facility fees for telehealth services when professional billing occurs, a move aimed at reducing patient costs and billing complexity.