CMS Launches ACCESS Model to Advance Technology-Enabled Chronic Care in Medicare
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center has introduced the ACCESS model, designed to enhance access to technology-enabled care for Medicare beneficiaries dealing with obesity, diabetes, musculoskeletal pain, and depression.
Scheduled to launch on July 1, 2026, this 10-year initiative aims to impact two-thirds of the Medicare population by integrating innovative payment models focused on health outcomes and the use of digital health tools. This model reflects a shift towards results-oriented care payments, providing clinicians with predictable reimbursement options that support flexible care delivery methods including in-person, virtual, and asynchronous interactions.
ACCESS targets four key clinical areas: early cardio-kidney-metabolic conditions (such as hypertension and prediabetes), established cardio-kidney-metabolic diseases (including diabetes and chronic kidney disease), musculoskeletal disorders, and behavioral health conditions like anxiety and depression. Participating Medicare-enrolled care organizations will be incentivized through Outcome-Aligned Payments, where financial rewards are linked directly to measurable health improvements, such as controlled blood pressure among hypertension patients.
Care organizations must comply with existing regulatory frameworks, including Medicare Part B enrollment, HIPAA privacy standards, FDA regulations, and appoint a physician clinical director to ensure clinical quality oversight. The program mandates integrated delivery of a range of technology-supported services, including clinician consultations, medication management, behavioral health support, diagnostics, and monitoring through FDA-authorized devices. CMS will maintain a public directory detailing participating organizations, their treatment areas, and aggregate performance metrics to assist patient choice.
This initiative aligns with broader CMS efforts to expand healthcare technology access, such as the development of a national healthcare directory for secure medical data sharing via QR codes, and updates to physician fee schedules to incorporate digital therapeutics and telehealth services. The ACCESS model also complements CMS’s ongoing interoperability initiatives aimed at digitizing and streamlining patient data exchange among providers, improving care coordination beyond traditional clinical settings.
By fostering partnerships between primary care providers and technology-enabled care organizations, ACCESS seeks to integrate chronic disease management into patients’ daily lives, enhancing convenience and continuous support. The CMS Innovation Center underscores this program’s potential to reduce barriers for clinicians adopting digital health solutions while improving patient health outcomes and care accessibility across the Original Medicare population.