Humana and health IT giant Epic are the latest companies to tout progress on data-sharing initiatives that align with the Trump administration's federal interoperability priorities, and ahead of a 2026 first-quarter deadline.
The insurer is rolling out two new features in partnership with Epic to automate and streamline paperwork at the doctor's office. Humana is activating Epic's Coverage Finder and Digital Insurance Card Exchange capabilities for its Medicare Advantage (MA) membership. The new features eliminate the need for manual entry or physical cards at check-in, reduce administrative burden and improve data accuracy, the companies said.
The initial rollout will serve 800,000 Humana MA members who receive care at about 120 different health systems, the insurer said.
As additional providers adopt these capabilities, millions more patients could benefit, according to the companies.
Every patient is familiar with the task of filling out paperwork on a clipboard at the doctor's office—and it's often the exact same insurance information they provided at their last visit.
For healthcare professionals at the front desk, manual data entry to verify insurance coverage and check in patients is time-consuming and tedious.
Electronic health record companies are working to digitize this process, in collaboration with payers and providers, and it's an effort accelerated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS') Health Technology Ecosystem initiative, announced in July.
Humana and Epic were among the first 60 healthcare organizations to join a White House pledge aimed at eliminating outdated, paper-based processes. About 400 organizations have since signed on to that effort.
“These capabilities help us meet patients where they are—by simplifying check-in, ensuring accurate information, and making their experience smoother,” said Imran Andrabi, M.D., president and CEO of Froedtert ThedaCare, in a statement. “It’s an improvement that helps patients feel supported the moment they walk in, which directly aligns with our vision of being their trusted partner in health.”
Humana and Epic demonstrated the new capabilities at the CMS Connectathon in Washington, D.C., last week. At that event, the CMS also gave an early look at its new national provider directory, which is currently in beta, as Emma Beavins reported.
Epic developed the new features as part of its Payer Platform, which enables Humana members’ insurance information, including coverage details and digital insurance cards, to be securely and automatically shared with healthcare providers using the company's electronic health record system.
“We’re proud to be among the first to bring these capabilities to life and demonstrate them directly to CMS,” said George Renaudin, president of insurance at Humana, in a statement. “This is more than a technology launch—it’s a step toward a more connected, efficient healthcare system that puts people first.”
Humana says it's actively encouraging the providers it works with using Epic to enable these capabilities for patients.
The new features build on Epic and Humana's ongoing collaboration to improve data sharing. In July, the insurer announced it was the first health insurer to integrate health plan information directly into patients' MyChart accounts with a focus on its MA members.
“With Coverage Finder and Digital Insurance Card Exchange, more than a million patients have experienced easier check-ins," said Alan Hutchison, vice president at Epic. "From reducing time at the front desk by up to 50%, to ensuring their coverage is accurate and up-to-date, this makes insurance information one less thing patients need to worry about."
The two companies tout several benefits of the coverage finder feature and the digital insurance card exchange. By automating insurance verification, coverage details are available to providers before the patient arrives, so staff members don’t need to spend time manually entering information.
Health plan members no longer need to present a physical insurance card—registration staff can use the digital card to check them in. Automating coverage entry helps prevent mistakes and ensures smoother, more accurate billing, the companies said.
Humana and Epic said data are exchanged using national interoperability standards that protect patient information.