Article
What CMS announced
On September 15 CMS said the Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions model, known as ACCESS, will add tracks for heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, substance use disorders and tobacco and nicotine dependence in spring 2027. It will also extend bone, joint and mobility support for some chronic musculoskeletal pain patients beyond the first 12 months of care. Current tracks cover high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic musculoskeletal pain and depression.
ACCESS is voluntary for patients and organizations and is designed to run for 10 years. CMS says 160 organizations took part at launch, with more to be added over time, and that three in four people with Original Medicare qualify for at least one track. Payers covering 165 million people across Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and private plans have pledged to adopt an aligned outcome-based payment approach.
How the model works
Participating organizations can offer virtual visits, health coaching, remote monitoring and connected devices between regular appointments. CMS ties payment directly to measurable improvements in patient health rather than to the volume of services. The model is built to connect with the rest of the system: primary care and other clinicians can refer patients to participants, who then work alongside the patient’s existing care team. Medicare Advantage enrollees are not eligible.
Why the new tracks hit closer to home
Heart failure and COPD are core hospital service lines and frequent sources of readmissions. Under ACCESS, outside organizations, including virtual care companies, could manage those patients between visits and be paid on results. Health systems that already run remote monitoring or disease management programs now face a choice.
- Join: If you have a working heart failure or COPD program, review CMS’s payment amounts and performance targets and test whether your outcomes would qualify.
- Partner: If you lack scale, consider teaming with a participant so your clinicians stay connected to the care plan.
- Refer and co-manage: At a minimum, prepare employed primary care and specialty practices to refer patients and to coordinate with participants through the record.
Archive entry for Sep 17, 2026, added Nov. 11, 2026.