How blockchain could ease frustration with the payment process

Blockchain is showing promise as a way to improve data-sharing between payers and providers. Payers, providers, and patients all encounter issues with verification of benefits and checks on medical eligibility. Solving those problems will benefit everyone.

The core challenge is access to shareable, current, complete data. That’s no small task. To take on this enormous challenge, major health care companies are exploring the use of blockchain for potential solutions to data-exchange issues.

Blockchain technology can help create a regularly updated record of transactions or other information, securely tied together using cryptography. One pilot project focuses on sharing provider information for the directories that health plans...