CMS Launches ACCESS Model for Technology-Supported Chronic Care Management

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced the Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions (ACCESS) Model, a new ten-year national voluntary demonstration aimed at enhancing chronic condition management through technology-supported care. The model introduces Outcome-Aligned Payments (OAPs) to Medicare Part B reimbursement, rewarding participating organizations for managing qualifying chronic conditions and achieving specified health outcome improvements. CMS plans to evaluate the model's impact on health outcomes, beneficiary choice, and Medicare spending, with the first cohort starting July 1, 2026, and applications opening January 1, 2026. Eligible participants must be Medicare Part B–enrolled providers in compliance with licensure and privacy requirements, with a designated physician Clinical Director. Organizations can operate in one or more of four clinical tracks focusing on conditions like hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, musculoskeletal pain, depression, and anxiety. Technology companies not currently enrolled in Medicare must contract with eligible providers or enroll themselves to participate. Beneficiaries with Original Medicare may enroll directly or through provider referral, while Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are excluded. CMS will maintain a public directory listing participating organizations, their clinical tracks, tools used, and risk-adjusted outcomes to support transparency and informed patient choice. Outcome-Aligned Payments are recurring and tied to achieving defined clinical targets, with options to waive beneficiary cost-sharing, which is a notable deviation from other Medicare care management models. The ACCESS Model emphasizes care coordination and co-management with primary care providers to promote integrated patient care and comprehensive chronic condition management. Participating organizations are expected to meet rigorous data reporting, privacy, and device oversight standards, and CMS may disenroll participants failing to meet quality or outcome standards. This model presents opportunities for Medicare Part B providers and health technology companies to engage in chronic care management aligned with commercial and Medicare Advantage trends. Success will heavily depend on effective primary care collaboration, participant readiness, and operational integration within care delivery systems. CMS will release further implementation guidance, preparing interested organizations to assess their readiness and strategize participation.