ACCESS: The Power will be in Partnerships

February 27, 2026

Part of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) strategy to Make America Healthy Again includes leveraging technology to help people advance their health goals while promoting system efficiency. The Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions (ACCESS) Model makes progress toward that goal by piloting outcome-based payments for technology-enabled care of several chronic diseases, including behavioral health, musculoskeletal conditions, and cardio-kidney-metabolic conditions.

What makes ACCESS different from other payment for outcome approaches, like chronic care management, is that this model is aiming to test payment for the technology, not the provider. Accordingly, the model excludes providers who bill fee‑for‑service (FFS) from participation. Improvement in outcomes does not happen without strong provider teams, so ACCESS can only be successful with strategic, intentional partnerships between ACCESS participants, ACOs, and their participant providers across all elements of the model.

Support with the care management to achieve outcomes

Managing complex chronic conditions requires high-touch, sustained care – often more intensive than the ACCESS payment model can finance. If ACCESS participants attempt to provide this level of care independently, they risk duplicating services, confusing providers and beneficiaries, and unintentionally creating gaps due to uncoordinated assumptions around care delivery.

Rather than use limited resources to duplicate costly care, ACCESS participants should look to strategically partner with ACOs and primary care providers with expertise and accountability for managing patients’ health. ACOs and primary care practices have proven capabilities in  improving blood pressure control, addressing depression, managing pain, and supporting metabolic health. Collaboration, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities, would allow each partner to focus on bringing their strengths to the care management relationship.

Coordinate beneficiary recruitment

ACOs maintain trusted, long-standing patient‑provider relationships – making them natural allies for ACCESS participants seeking to identify and engage eligible beneficiaries. Without provider collaboration, direct‑to‑beneficiary marketing risks creating a confusing and fragmented experience for patients who may not understand which services best fit their needs.

Provider involvement ensures beneficiaries are informed, supported, and positioned for success. By partnering with ACOs, ACCESS participants can promote enrollment more responsibly and cohesively, avoiding unnecessary complexity for Medicare beneficiaries.

Align financial models

The ACCESS model will pay participants $180- $420 per year to manage beneficiaries conditions, with 50 percent withheld up front and earned back based on outcomes. These lower-than-anticipated rates underscore CMS’ intent to encourage tech-enabled care efficiencies rather than fund comprehensive care management on their own. At this payment rate, ACCESS participants will have to be strategic in the infrastructure it builds to support comprehensive care coordination. ACCESS participants should partner with ACOs to leverage their established care management and data infrastructure, strengthening early implementation and supporting ongoing beneficiary engagement.

Foster data-sharing opportunities

ACOs have invested heavily in data systems that synthesize information from multiple sources to support high-quality, coordinated care. Providers rely on these established workflows. If ACCESS participants instead create standalone data feeds limited to model interventions, primary care providers—already inundated with fragmented data streams—may experience increased burden and reduced clarity.

Rather than reinventing data systems, ACCESS participants should explore ways to integrate with or build on ACOs’ existing infrastructure. CMS can support these efficiencies by enhancing data-sharing pathways between ACCESS participants and ACOs. Additionally, including ACCESS participation beneficiary indicators within CCLF files would give providers visibility and encourage more seamless collaboration across models.

Strengthen the path toward tech-enabled care

ACCESS represents a meaningful step forward in scaling tech-enabled care to improve beneficiary engagement. CMS should now look for opportunities to apply ACOs’ expertise in integrating novel care management approaches by creating a pathway for them to bill for tech-enabled care already in use in beneficiaries’ care plans.

The current fee-for-service exclusion for ACCESS participants may inadvertently discourage ACOs’ innovation in this space. CMS should suspend this exclusion for ACOs that want to participate in ACCESS, or create similar payment options within ACO models, to harness ACO capabilities and accelerate the adoption of technology-driven care. ACOs stand ready to support the success of the ACCESS Model and continue to build tech-enabled care into chronic disease management. With thoughtful partnerships, shared data strategies, and alignment across care models, ACCESS can empower Americans to achieve their health goals and live healthier lives