What you need to know

  • Apple is set to begin a CARIN API that could make insurance claims much more easily accessible.
  • The API could add the feature to apps, including Apple's own Health app.
  • Testing will begin this year with full release of the API in 2020.

Apple is set to start testing a new third-party API from CARIN that will make insurance claims much more accessible. Announced at the 2019 Blue Button Developers Conference, the could even make its way into the iOS Health app.

After many months of work, today the private sector released the CARIN Blue Button® data model and draft implementation guide as part of the White House Blue Button® Developers Conference. The CARIN Blue Button® draft implementation guide includes more than 240 claim data elements that have been agreed on by multiple regional and national health plans.

These data elements are included in what we are calling the common payer consumer data set or CPCDS. We have taken these data elements and mapped them to HL7® FHIR® resources to better assist health plans implement the CMS Interoperability and Patient Access proposed rule.

The point man for Apple will be Ricky Bloomfield, MD, who will communicate with personal from Anthem, BlueCross, BlueShield, Human and more. Google and Microsoft are also involved in the project.

The data will be tested this year and CARIN hopes to officially launch the API next year.

Everything you need to know about the Health app

Beta testers will likely wait until July to get their hands on iOS 16
Waiting game

Beta testers will likely wait until July to get their hands on iOS 16

If all goes according to previous years we can expect Apple to release the first developer beta of iOS 16 on June 6, the same day that it will be announced. That's the date of the WWDC22 opening keynote but those who are part of the public beta program look set to be waiting a little while longer.