Mel Soliz Examines Legal and Policy Implications of CMS’ Health Technology Ecosystem on AHLA Podcast

Partner Mel Soliz recently joined an AHLA podcast exploring the CMS Health Technology Ecosystem — a new federal effort to modernize digital infrastructure and expand health data exchange beyond clinical settings. Alongside David Lee of Leavitt Partners, Mel discussed the initiative’s potential impact on privacy, governance, enforcement, and liability as interoperability standards evolve.  In the podcast, Mel assessed the legal significance of a more standardized FHIR-based exchange environment, noting that organizations may face greater scrutiny as data becomes more structured and exchangeable. She also spoke on potential interoperability challenges in an increasingly complex data privacy landscape, where HIPAA is only one part of an equation that also includes Part 2, Medicaid confidentiality requirements, federal privacy rules, and state-based laws.  Additionally, Mel addressed how these risks play out for providers, EHRs, payers, and patient-facing apps, with a focus on breach exposure in multi-party environments; downstream reliance on exchanged data; sensitivity around claims and clinical data; and gaps between consumer expectations and legal protections outside HIPAA-regulated settings. She encouraged organizations to align agreements and governance models with broader exchange goals...