## Healthcare Innovation: Digital Identity Infrastructure Powers Next-Gen Patient Engagement Platform

In a strategic move to reshape how Americans access personalized healthcare guidance, Sharecare and CLEAR have joined forces to establish a trusted foundation for AskMD, a cutting-edge AI-driven health navigation platform launching in 2026. The partnership integrates CLEAR's secure identity verification system directly into AskMD's architecture, enabling millions of patients to authenticate their identity quickly while securely accessing insurance benefits, clinical decision support, and real-time eligibility information.

The collaboration addresses a fundamental challenge in digital healthcare: connecting patients with trustworthy medical resources while protecting sensitive health data. By embedding CLEAR's identity layer into its platform, Sharecare eliminates friction points in the user experience—patients can now verify insurance coverage instantly, receive accurate benefit recommendations, and retrieve personal health records without complex manual verification processes. This reduces fraud risk while enabling algorithmic personalization based on individual health profiles and plan details.

### Scale and Immediate Impact

AskMD's reach is substantial. The platform will be available to over 75 million registered consumers who have opted into Sharecare's health and wellness services, alongside 10 million members covered through employer and health plan partnerships. In Georgia alone, more than 2 million individuals across Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, state and local government, and commercial insurance programs already use Sharecare's platform—demonstrating proof-of-concept at scale within a single state ecosystem.

According to Jeff Arnold, co-founder and executive chairman of Sharecare, the partnership represents more than a technical integration: "Trusted identity across the healthcare system is a critical foundation. With CLEAR providing assurance at every touchpoint, we're rolling out a platform that helps patients confidently manage preventive care, navigate quality providers, and engage with their benefits."

### Alignment with CMS's Digital Health Vision

The timing reflects broader regulatory momentum. In July 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a voluntary, standards-based ecosystem initiative at The White House, positioning CLEAR and Sharecare as early collaborators. Both organizations are now supporting CMS's vision of a more connected, patient-centered healthcare network where individuals maintain control over their own information.

This alignment means AskMD isn't just a commercial product—it's designed to demonstrate how state-level health ecosystems can converge around modern digital infrastructure. Georgia serves as the blueprint. The state's combination of diverse populations, engaged community organizations, and collaborative health institutions creates conditions to showcase how AI-powered health navigation, "paperless" patient experiences, and targeted community health outreach can improve measurable outcomes in preventive care and care management efficiency.

### What AskMD Actually Does

Beyond identity verification, AskMD functions as a comprehensive health assistant: it helps users find quality in-network providers, navigate complex benefit structures, access evidence-based health information, and engage in preventive action. For employers, payors, health systems, and government agencies, the platform delivers operational benefits—lower administrative costs, reduced claims friction, and better visibility into member behavior patterns.

David Bardan, head of healthcare at CLEAR, emphasized the user experience advantage: "We're making it simpler for individuals to securely connect to their health information. Patients get the modern, connected experience they expect from consumer technology—applied to healthcare."

### Future Implications

As AskMD expands nationally following its 2026 launch, the Sharecare-CLEAR partnership demonstrates how identity infrastructure becomes foundational to the next generation of healthcare technology. The model proves viable first in Georgia, then scales to represent a nationwide shift toward frictionless, secure, and personalized health engagement.