CMS Launches MAHA ELEVATE Model to Enhance Medicare Policies
On March 13, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) unveiled the Make America Healthy Again – Enhancing Lifestyle and Evaluating Value-based Approaches Through Evidence (MAHA ELEVATE) Model. This CMS Innovation Center initiative targets chronic disease management by fostering innovative strategies that promote healthier lifestyles. These efforts aim to generate data critical for informing future Medicare policies, addressing regulatory compliance requirements effectively.
This voluntary model evaluates evidence-based methods focusing on holistic Medicare care, incorporating nutrition, physical activity, mental health, and self-care. These measures enhance traditional healthcare methods through preventive care, addressing chronic conditions at their source and fostering a value-based care approach.
Counties play a vital role in public health and disease prevention, becoming essential partners in promoting comprehensive, preventive healthcare strategies. These partnerships significantly impact federally funded initiatives like the MAHA ELEVATE model, as counties support local health departments and healthcare centers crucial to executing these programs effectively.
For counties interested in the MAHA ELEVATE model, key deadlines include the launch of the first cohort in October 2026, followed by a second in Fall 2027. Applicants not in the initial cohort can remain eligible for future participation, with ongoing updates and support from the National Association of Counties (NACo) assisting their engagement efforts.
Additionally, the Michelle Alyssa Go Act (H.R. 5462), reintroduced in September 2025, seeks to modernize the IMD exclusion, broadening care access. Meanwhile, CMS issued guidance on March 6 to State Medicaid Directors for implementing the six-month Medicaid renewals mandated by H.R. 1. According to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, counties can significantly enhance health outcomes through prevention-focused approaches, as discussed at the NACo Legislative Conference.