CMS has launched a “Blue Button” service that allows 47 million Medicare beneficiaries to electronically view, download and print their complete medical records, Federal Computer Week reports.
The feature is available on the MyMedicare website.
The option is similar to the Blue Button program on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ MyHealtheVet website.
Since VA’s Blue Button feature was introduced in August, more than 60,000 veterans have downloaded their medical records.
According to federal officials, the Blue Button eventually will be capable of downloading electronic health record data from:
Laboratories;
Major pharmacies; and
Physicians’ offices.
CMS and VA recommend that users protect their personal medical information once it is downloaded by either securing it with a password or through encryption (Lipowicz, Federal Computer Week, 10/13).
