announcedvoluntarydisease-specific

ACCESS

Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions

The ACCESS Model is a 10-year national test of a new payment approach designed to expand access to technology-supported care for people with chronic conditions. It provides participating organizations with predictable, recurring payments for helping patients manage qualifying chronic conditions, with full payment depending on achieving measurable health outcomes.

Active Since2026-07-05
Application Deadline2026-04-01

Innovation

ACCESS introduces Outcome-Aligned Payments (OAPs), a recurring payment for managing a patient’s qualifying condition, with payment tied to achieving measurable health outcomes rather than specific activities or devices.

The Problem

Today, people with Original Medicare have limited access to technology-supported care services for managing their chronic conditions because of Medicare payment barriers.

The Solution

Through ACCESS, CMS will test a new payment option that emphasizes outcomes over activities, enabling clinicians to offer innovative technology-supported care that improves patients’ health and complements traditional care.

Expected Outcomes

Patients will have more options to help them meet their health goals, providers will gain new partners to help them co-manage their patients’ health, and Original Medicare will have a way to pay care organizations developing technology-supported services.

Strategy

ACCESS supports disease prevention and health promotion by empowering people who have Medicare and clinicians with more choices.

Model Goals

  • Improve health outcomes
  • Enhance patient choice
  • Reduce overall Medicare costs

Patient Eligibility

ACCESS is open to people with Original Medicare who have qualifying chronic conditions included in one of the model’s clinical tracks.

  • Enrolled in Original Medicare
  • Have a qualifying chronic condition in one of the clinical tracks
  • Not enrolled in Medicare Advantage

Provider Eligibility

Organizations must be Medicare Part B-enrolled providers or suppliers, excluding DME and lab suppliers, and meet specific compliance and oversight requirements.

  • Enrolled in Medicare Part B as a provider or supplier
  • Not a durable medical equipment (DME) or laboratory supplier
  • Have an active Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)
  • Comply with applicable state licensure, HIPAA, and FDA requirements
  • Designate a physician Clinical Director responsible for clinical and compliance oversight

Care Categories

Early Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic (eCKM)

HypertensionDyslipidemiaObesity or overweight with marker of central obesityPrediabetes

Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM)

Diabetes mellitusChronic kidney disease (CKD)Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD)

Musculoskeletal (MSK)

Chronic musculoskeletal pain

Behavioral Health (BH)

DepressionAnxiety

Program Benchmarks & Thresholds

eligibility

Obesity BMI Threshold30
Waist Circumference Threshold for Men40
Waist Circumference Threshold for Men (cm)102
Waist Circumference Threshold for Women35
Chronic Kidney Disease Stages Included3a,3b
Waist Circumference Threshold for Women (cm)88
Chronic Pain Duration Threshold3
Overweight BMI Range25 – 29.99

financial

Co-Management Payment Per Service30
Co-Management Payment Maximum Per Year100
Co-Management Onboarding Additional Payment10
Payment Reduction Cap0.5%

operational

Ownership Change Reporting Days30
First Cohort Application Deadline2026-04-01
Model Duration10
First Performance Period Start Date2026-07-05
Model End Date2036-06-30
Rolling Application Start Year2,026
Rolling Application End Year2,033
Other Change Reporting Days90
Co-Management Payment Frequency Limit4
ACO Benchmark Impact Start Year2,028
Performance Period Start Date for Late Applications2027-01-01

quality

Outcome Attainment Threshold (First Year)0.5%

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