Health100™ Earns DirectTrust Accreditation for Consumer Health Data Privacy and Security
Health100™, a CVS Health® subsidiary focused on simplifying the healthcare experience for consumers, has achieved the CARIN Code of Conduct for Consumer-Facing Applications Accreditation from DirectTrust®, marking a significant milestone in the company’s efforts to strengthen consumer data privacy, security and transparency.
The accreditation applies to the Health100 mobile application and follows an independent third-party evaluation by DirectTrust. The review assessed whether the application meets the requirements of the CARIN Alliance Code of Conduct for Consumer-Facing Applications, a framework designed to promote responsible practices for consumer-facing applications that provide access to and facilitate the exchange of personal health information.
For Health100, the accreditation provides external validation of its approach to protecting sensitive consumer health information while enabling individuals to access and use their data as part of a more connected healthcare experience.
As healthcare increasingly becomes digital, consumers are relying on mobile applications and online platforms to access health records, understand costs, locate providers, manage chronic conditions and make decisions about their care. At the same time, the growing volume of digital health information creates greater expectations around privacy, security, transparency and responsible data use.
The DirectTrust accreditation reflects Health100’s focus on addressing those expectations as it continues to develop its consumer-facing healthcare platform.
Independent Review Focuses on Consumer Data Protection
DirectTrust conducted a comprehensive independent third-party assessment of the Health100 application to evaluate its compliance with the CARIN Alliance Code of Conduct for Consumer-Facing Applications.
The evaluation examined several areas that are important to the secure and responsible handling of personal health information. These included application transparency, consumer consent, the use and disclosure of information, individual access to health data, security practices, data provenance, accountability and consumer education.
The review also considered the broader ecosystem surrounding digital health information. This includes patients and consumers, healthcare providers, health plans, third-party application developers and other organizations that may interact with health information through digital platforms.
Rather than focusing exclusively on technical security, the CARIN Code of Conduct also addresses how consumer-facing applications communicate with individuals and manage their health information.
This broader approach recognizes that protecting health data requires more than cybersecurity controls. Consumers also need clear information about how their data is handled, meaningful opportunities to provide consent and appropriate access to their information.
The independent assessment therefore provides an external measure of Health100’s practices and offers greater transparency to the stakeholders using or interacting with the platform.
DirectTrust Highlights Importance of Trusted Health Data Exchange
Scott Stuewe, president and CEO of DirectTrust, said Health100’s accreditation demonstrates its ability to provide consumers with secure and trusted access to their personal health information.
According to Stuewe, earning the accreditation represents an important accomplishment because it provides healthcare stakeholders with greater confidence in the application’s ability to support the exchange of private and sensitive health information.
DirectTrust also emphasized the significance of Health100 voluntarily seeking verification against the CARIN Code of Conduct.
Consumer-directed health data exchange has become increasingly important as individuals expect greater control over their health information and the digital tools they use to manage care. Applications that allow people to connect information from different parts of the healthcare system can potentially make it easier for consumers to understand their healthcare journeys and make informed decisions.
However, this type of connectivity must be supported by appropriate privacy and security practices. Health information can contain highly sensitive details, making data protection a critical consideration for any consumer-facing healthcare application.
Health100’s accreditation is intended to demonstrate that the company has undergone an independent assessment of these practices.
Supporting a More Connected Consumer Healthcare Experience
Health100 is designed to serve as a central point of access for consumers navigating different aspects of healthcare.
The platform aims to reduce what the company describes as the “healthcare homework” consumers often face when trying to understand costs, identify appropriate care and manage their ongoing health needs.
One of the platform’s features is designed to provide greater cost transparency, helping consumers understand healthcare expenses and identify opportunities to reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Healthcare pricing can be difficult for consumers to navigate, particularly when individuals must consider insurance coverage, provider choices and other factors that influence how much they ultimately pay.
By bringing information and navigation tools together in a single application, Health100 seeks to make the process easier and more understandable.
The platform also helps users find and access expanded care options while providing integrated healthcare navigation.
For consumers managing chronic conditions, the application is intended to offer additional support for staying on track with care. This includes proactive, real-time support designed to help individuals manage their health needs more effectively.
Taken together, these features are intended to create a simpler and more connected healthcare experience.
Privacy and Security as Foundations of Digital Health
The growing role of digital technology in healthcare makes privacy and security increasingly important.
Consumers may use healthcare applications to access personal medical information, insurance-related data, care recommendations, provider information and other sensitive details. They expect this information to be handled responsibly and securely.
For companies developing digital healthcare platforms, maintaining consumer trust can be just as important as providing convenient functionality.
Health100’s leadership views the new accreditation as a foundational element of the company’s broader strategy.
Tony Ambrozie, senior vice president and chief digital and technology officer at CVS Health and Health100, said the accreditation reinforces the organization’s commitment to data privacy, security and transparency.
Ambrozie described these principles as critical to establishing and maintaining consumer trust. He also positioned Health100 as a digital entry point to healthcare and said the accreditation is foundational to the company’s efforts to deliver connected and patient-centered experiences.
The focus on trust is particularly relevant as consumers are increasingly asked to interact with healthcare through digital channels.
A mobile healthcare application can only be effective if people feel comfortable using it and understand how their information is managed. Transparent practices around personal health information can therefore help strengthen confidence in digital healthcare services.
CARIN Code of Conduct Addresses Multiple Stakeholder Needs
The CARIN Alliance Code of Conduct for Consumer-Facing Applications is designed to establish expectations for organizations that provide consumers with access to their health information through applications.
The framework addresses several areas related to responsible health data use, including transparency, consent, individual access, security and accountability.
For consumers, these principles are intended to provide greater clarity and control over their personal information.
For providers and health plans, adherence to established standards can help build confidence when interacting with consumer-directed applications.
Third-party app developers can also benefit from greater clarity around expectations for handling health information and communicating with users.
The broader objective is to support an ecosystem in which consumers can access and exchange their information while maintaining appropriate protections around sensitive data.
Health100’s participation in this process is particularly significant because the application is intended to connect consumers with multiple aspects of their healthcare experience.
Accreditation Governed Through EHNAC
DirectTrust’s accreditation and certification programs are governed by the organization’s Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC).
EHNAC provides a framework for evaluating organizations and technologies involved in healthcare information exchange and related services.
The accreditation therefore represents more than an internal assessment by Health100. It follows an independent review against established industry requirements.
Third-party evaluation can be particularly valuable in healthcare technology because organizations and consumers may not have the technical expertise or resources needed to independently assess all aspects of a digital application’s privacy and security practices.
An external accreditation provides an additional layer of assurance that an application has undergone a structured evaluation.
For Health100, completing this process reinforces the organization’s stated focus on transparency and responsible management of consumer health information.
Digital Health Requires Both Convenience and Trust
The development of Health100 comes at a time when the healthcare industry is placing greater emphasis on digital access and consumer-centered care.
Patients and consumers increasingly expect healthcare services to be easier to navigate and more similar to the digital experiences they encounter in other parts of their lives.
However, healthcare differs from many other industries because the information involved is deeply personal and can have significant implications for an individual’s privacy and wellbeing.
A healthcare application therefore has to balance convenience with security.
Features such as cost transparency, care navigation and chronic condition management may make healthcare easier to understand and access, but consumers also need assurance that their personal information will be handled appropriately.
Health100’s accreditation is intended to address this balance by demonstrating that the application has been reviewed against standards covering both consumer-facing practices and information protection.
Expanding Consumer Control Over Health Information
A major theme underlying the CARIN Code of Conduct is consumer-directed data exchange.
Consumer-directed exchange gives individuals a more active role in determining how they access and use their health information. Instead of health data remaining confined to individual systems, consumers can use approved applications and digital tools to bring information together and make it more useful.
This approach can support a more connected healthcare journey, particularly for people who receive care from multiple providers or manage ongoing conditions.
However, greater access also increases the importance of transparency and accountability.
Consumers need to understand what information an application can access, how it may be used and what choices they have regarding that information.
By completing the DirectTrust accreditation process, Health100 is demonstrating its commitment to these principles as it develops its platform.
Preparing Health100 for Broader Consumer Adoption
The accreditation comes as Health100 continues its efforts to bring a connected healthcare experience to consumers.
The company’s platform is designed to combine healthcare navigation, cost information, access to care and chronic condition support within a single digital environment.
The ability to integrate these functions could help consumers spend less time searching across multiple systems and more time focusing on decisions related to their health.
For Health100, privacy and security are positioned as essential components of that experience rather than separate considerations.
As the platform continues to develop, maintaining consumer confidence will be important to its adoption and long-term value.
The DirectTrust accreditation gives Health100 an independently evaluated credential that demonstrates its focus on responsible consumer health data practices.
Health100’s achievement of the CARIN Code of Conduct for Consumer-Facing Applications Accreditation from DirectTrust represents an important development in the company’s efforts to build a trusted digital healthcare experience.
The independent evaluation examined the Health100 mobile application across areas including transparency, consent, information use and disclosure, individual access, security, data provenance, accountability and education.
The accreditation offers external validation of Health100’s approach to handling personal health information and supporting consumer-directed health data exchange.
At the same time, Health100 continues to focus on its broader objective of simplifying healthcare for consumers through cost transparency, reduced out-of-pocket expenses, care navigation, access to expanded care options and chronic condition management.
As digital healthcare continues to expand, the ability to securely connect consumers with their health information will become increasingly important. Applications that combine accessibility with strong privacy and security practices can help create a more connected healthcare environment while addressing growing consumer expectations around control and transparency.
For Health100, the new accreditation provides a foundation for that work and reinforces its stated commitment to protecting consumer information as it develops its role as a digital gateway to healthcare.
Ultimately, the achievement highlights a broader trend across the healthcare technology industry: convenience alone is no longer enough. Consumers also expect their healthcare information to be protected, their choices to be respected and the companies handling their data to demonstrate accountability. Health100’s DirectTrust accreditation positions those principles at the center of its digital health strategy as the company continues working toward a more transparent, connected and consumer-focused healthcare experience.
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