Technology executives, investors and senior Trump administration officials have spent the past year working behind the scenes to expand the use of artificial intelligence powered healthcare apps in the US, according to an investigation by KFF Health News published by US News & World Report.
The report alleges that federal health officials gave technology companies an unusual opportunity to influence healthcare policy through a private Slack workspace, where participants discussed AI tools, access to patients’ medical records and the future regulation of digital health services.
The companies involved reportedly include Microsoft, Anthropic, OpenAI, Apple and Google, alongside digital health startups and investment firms. In February, the Food and Drug Administration invited representatives from at least 35 industry organisations to a listening session on conversational AI products, including healthcare chatbots.
However, the meeting did not appear on the FDA’s public calendar or regulatory notices, and the public was not invited. Instead, the invitation was circulated through the Slack workspace, according to KFF Health News.
CMS senior policy adviser Morgan Taylor described the session as an opportunity for industry representatives to help the FDA shape future guidance on the safe development and monitoring of conversational AI.
Questions Over Transparency And Federal Oversight
The Slack workspace was established in August 2025, with former Department of Government Efficiency acting administrator Amy Gleason among the key figures involved. Gleason now serves as chief product officer at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Office of Health Technology and Products.
The workspace reportedly grew to around 1,700 members, including representatives from major technology companies, digital health businesses and investment firms. However, doctors, patient advocates and hospital representatives accounted for only a small share of participants.
The group’s code of conduct stated that it was not a formal federal advisory committee and was not intended to provide recommendations to government officials.
Nevertheless, Joseph Daval, a former FDA lawyer now working as a research specialist at Harvard Medical School, told KFF Health News that the group’s activities resembled those of an advisory committee. He raised concerns about whether the arrangement could undermine safeguards designed to prevent industry interests from dominating government policymaking.
CMS declined to answer several questions about the Slack workspace’s legality. The agency said its broader Health Technology Ecosystem initiative was an open, voluntary collaboration involving patients, healthcare providers, insurers and technology organisations. The FDA did not respond to a request for comment.
CMS Officials Discussed Promoting AI Health Apps
According to KFF Health News, CMS officials told technology representatives that the government could help promote their products through a Medicare App Library and other initiatives.
Jacob Shiff, chief AI and technology officer at the CMS Innovation Center, reportedly described the agency’s efforts as a potential “sales engine” for health apps during a February video meeting.
The Medicare App Library promotes commercial digital health products to older Americans and people with disabilities. The apps offer services including health monitoring, medical record analysis and support for managing conditions such as diabetes, obesity and cancer.
The report said CMS officials also suggested that listed apps could be prioritised under a programme that reimburses companies for certain AI chatbot services and wearable device tracking.
Critics have raised questions about how the apps are selected, whether users might interpret their presence on a government website as an endorsement, and whether the products have sufficient evidence supporting their medical claims.
One example cited in the report was Slothwise, an AI-powered health app that charges $9.99 a month and analyses medical records and health data. Its chief executive said the product was informational and defended the expertise of its team, which she said included physicians, researchers and engineers.
Concerns Over Patient Privacy And AI Safety
The investigation also highlighted concerns about how AI companies could gain access to sensitive medical records through the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement, a network designed to facilitate the electronic exchange of health information.
Some technology representatives reportedly advocated a streamlined process allowing verified apps to access patient records after users provide consent. Supporters argue that easier access would give people greater control over their health information and reduce administrative barriers.
However, privacy advocates and healthcare professionals have warned that broad access could expose sensitive information to security breaches or misuse, particularly as the number of connected applications increases.
Jason Kulatunga, founder of medical records platform Fasten Health, cautioned in the Slack workspace that privacy and security systems must account for malicious actors, even if participating companies are acting in good faith.
John Whyte, chief executive of the American Medical Association, also questioned whether some AI health tools were ready for widespread use, citing insufficient evidence about how they work and use patient information, as well as uncertainty over liability when they provide incorrect advice.
The debate comes as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other administration officials promote AI as a way to make healthcare more accessible and efficient.
The central question raised by the investigation is whether the administration’s push to accelerate AI adoption is providing sufficient transparency, independent oversight and safeguards for patients whose medical information could be shared with commercial technology companies.
