January 08, 2026

NAACOS will sharpen its focus on advancing value-based care through coordinated regulatory and congressional engagement.

We will press the administration to innovate and strengthen ACO models. Our advocacy will highlight the proven success of ACOs while advancing policies that promote long-term sustainability through improved benchmarks, reduce unnecessary regulatory and quality burden, and modernize payment model approaches — including capitation, beneficiary alignment, and other reforms that enable ACOs to innovate in care delivery.

Over the past month, the CMS Innovation Center brought its broader strategy to life with the announcement of several new models, including LEAD, the successor to ACO REACH, ACCESS, ELEVATE, and others. NAACOS will continue working to ensure our members can succeed in these models and effectively partner with participating organizations. We will also advocate to ensure providers are not unfairly held accountable for fraud, waste, and abuse, while shaping Medicare Advantage policies that support strong, sustainable value-based contracts.

On Capitol Hill, NAACOS will pursue targeted legislative priorities, including freezing the QP threshold, reintroducing the Value in Health Care Act, and expanding our bipartisan network of value-based care champions. In parallel, we are working closely with lawmakers on MACRA reform and durable physician payment solutions that will accelerate meaningful, system-wide health care transformation.

Beyond traditional Medicare models, we remain focused on helping our members succeed in value-based care arrangements across all lines of business. Our regional meetings, deep-dive roundtables, and affinity groups offer opportunities to connect with peers and share strategies for optimizing performance. Additionally, we’re continually producing new resources, including playbooks and webinars, to provide timely, in-depth operational and policy guidance.

Here’s to a strong year ahead! We can’t wait to see you all in April at the NAACOS Spring Conference in Baltimore. 

NAACOS recently responded to a request for information on developing and testing digital quality measures from Battelle, which convenes the Partnership for Quality Measurement. Our comments highlight challenges that ACOs face in the current transition to electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) and offer recommendations for more robust certification and testing. NAACOS continues to engage with CMS and other stakeholders on a thoughtful transition to digital quality approaches. Read our latest blog on ways we are encouraging CMS to improve accountable quality reporting.

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a Medicare hearing this week that featured a NAACOS supported bill that will require CMS to pilot test digital quality reporting and maintain current reporting approaches during the transition. This bill previously passed the House Ways and Means Committee. NAACOS looks forward to working with lawmakers as the bill works its way through the legislative process on Capitol Hill. Read and share our statement.

Get involved by attending NAACOS’ Deep Dive Roundtables, topic-focused discussion groups designed to foster shared learning and inform our advocacy and education priorities. Meeting agendas are driven by member input and are designed to take an in-depth look at operational and policy issues that members are facing. Upcoming roundtables include: 

As Congress kicks off the mid-term election year, health care remains a central focus on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers are under increased pressure to tackle health care affordability and access issues that affect millions of Americans. Debate continues over whether to extend expired enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits, along with other options to expand health savings accounts (HSAs). Lawmakers are also racing against the clock to meet a January 30 deadline to extend federal funding to avoid another government shutdown. As health care takes center stage in Congress, bipartisan efforts are underway to extend popular Medicare telehealth policies and reform pharmacy benefits manager practices to lower drug spending. The intersection of budget deadlines and electoral politics will drive how lawmakers tackle health care issues in the early months of 2026.

NAACOS is also engaged with our congressional champions seeking opportunities to support key legislative priorities, including: 

NAACOS will host an in-depth discussion on the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM) on January 27 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm ET. ASM is a mandatory model focused on specialists who treat heart failure or low back pain in the Mandatory Geographic Areas (links to an Excel file). The model will begin on January 1, 2027. Register to join the ASM discussion.

The Final Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) for Skin Substitute Grafts/Cellular and Tissue-Based Products for the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Venous Leg Ulcers that were scheduled to become effective on January 1, 2026, were withdrawn by CMS on December 24, 2025. NAACOS will work with CMS to gather additional information on this policy change and share updates with members as soon as possible.

The CMS Innovation Center has unveiled its next total cost of care model – the Long-Term Enhanced ACO Design (LEAD) Model. The 10-year voluntary model aims to empower ACOs and health care providers to deliver coordinated, accountable care and preventive services, with a renewed focus on serving high-needs patients. Additional details can be found on the LEAD Model page. NAACOS has been working closely with CMS to include key priorities in the model design. Stay tuned – we’ll send a member alert with details on our member webinar once the Request for Applications (RFA) is released.

The Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions (ACCESS) Model is a 10-year voluntary model designed to expand access to new technology-supported care options for patients with Original Medicare. The Innovation Center will test Outcome Aligned Payments (OAP) to help improve their health and prevent and manage chronic disease. Additional model details are in the RFA and interested stakeholders can complete the Model Interest Form to receive future updates. NAACOS members are encouraged to register for the ACCESS Model Webinar that will be held on January 26 from 2:00 to 3:30 pm ET. 

The CMS Innovation Center announced the Make America Healthy Again: Enhancing Lifestyle and Evaluating Value-based Approaches Through Evidence (MAHA ELEVATE) Model, a voluntary model to fund up to 30 chronic disease prevention and health promotion pilot projects that utilize evidence-based functional or lifestyle medicine interventions currently not covered by Original Medicare. The model Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will be released soon, and additional details can be found on the MAHA ELEVATE Model page. 

CMS has announced the new Global Benchmark for Efficient (GLOBE) Drug Pricing Model. According to CMS, the GLOBE Model tests whether a payment model that uses an alternative method for calculating Part B inflation rebate amounts for certain separately payable Part B drugs and biologicals products reduces costs for Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries and the Medicare program while preserving quality of care. Additional details can be found in the model proposed rule and the GLOBE Model page.

CMS has also announced the new Guarding U.S. Medicare Against Rising Drug Costs (GUARD) Model. The GUARD Model would test an alternative payment method for calculating inflation rebates for certain Part D drugs and biological products, and specifically, whether changing the calculation of the Part D inflation rebate would reduce costs for the Medicare program while preserving or enhancing quality of care for Part D enrollees. Additional details can be found in the model proposed rule and the GUARD Model page.

The Innovation Center announced the voluntary Better Approaches to Lifestyle and Nutrition for Comprehensive hEalth (BALANCE) Model expanding access to GLP-1 medication and lifestyle interventions for obesity and chronic disease prevention. Under the BALANCE Model, CMS will negotiate directly with pharmaceutical manufacturers to secure lower net prices and standardized coverage terms for GLP-1 medications. Additional details can be found on the BALANCE Model page.

CMS announced the establishment of the Office of Rural Health Transformation (ORHT) within the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS). The office will continue overseeing the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program, an initiative to strengthen rural health systems and expand sustainable access to care nationwide. The RHT recently awarded $50 billion to all 50 states, with states receiving their first-year awards from CMS in 2026, averaging $200 million within a range of $147 million to $281 million.

Register today!  Data and Analytics Boot Camp 201, will be held virtually January 21-23, followed by the Clinical Operations Boot Camp 201 on January 28-30. Designed for intermediate to advanced participants, Gain advanced insights along with the practical tools and strategies needed to successfully operate a high-performing ACO. Hear directly from industry experts on topics such as Quality Performance Analytics, Calculating Risk/Risk Adjustment Models, Integrating Data Insights, Reconciling and Aligning Value Based Care Contracts, and Specialty Engagement with CQM Reporting.

The South Central in-person regional meeting  will be held on January 14 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Arlington, Texas. Take part in engaging discussions and peer learning on topics such as, The Human Side of Care: Combating Loneliness for Better Outcomes, How AI is Restoring Balance in Primary Care, Real-World Telepsychiatry: Clinical Impact, and the Power of Therapeutic Alliance in Value-Based Care. 

Registration is also open for:

Regional meetings are open to NAACOS members, non-member ACOs, and value-based care providers. In-person events are $50 for members and $250 for non-members. Virtual meetings are free for members to attend. These events are not open to non-sponsoring business partners. Interested in presenting? We welcome submissions! Please email [email protected].

Register today for the Spring 2026 Conference at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor, April 22–24. The agenda features insights from leading health care experts and CMS insiders, interactive sessions, and lively panel discussions, all designed to explore the latest innovations in health care transformation. Plus, enjoy meaningful networking with fellow attendees, speakers, and vendors. Register early for the in person or virtual event to take advantage of the discounted rate, with special group rates also available for members.

Reserve your room early at the NAACOS discounted rate. The discounted rate is $249.00 per night plus taxes and fees. This discounted rate is good through March 3 or until the block is full. The hotel will not release additional rooms to us at the discounted rate. Please book early.

Reserve your exhibit space before it’s too late! The sponsor and exhibit program is filling quickly for the spring conference. Reserve your space today! Please note, all sponsorships and exhibit space are on a first come first served basis, and space is assigned in the order we receive applications.

Join two days of peer exchange with leaders from 100+ provider organizations and hear how others are shaping their 2026 plans: what they’re prioritizing, what they’re postponing, and where they’re investing as new CMS models take shape. If you want to benchmark your strategy, compare operating approaches, and take-home practical ideas on data, AI, and outcomes improvement, this is the room to be in. Presented by Innovaccer in collaboration with NAACOS, CHIME, HFMA, KLAS, and AMGA. NAACOS members can claim a complimentary conference pass  and access a discounted hotel booking (while rooms last).

2001 L Street, NW, Suite 500 
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