CMS Expands ACCESS Model to More Chronic Conditions Including Heart Failure, COPD
- September 18, 2026
- Written by AHLA Legal Staff
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is expanding its newly launched outcome-aligned payment model aimed at increasing access to technology-supported care for managing chronic conditions to Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), substance use disorders, and nicotine dependence.
CMS unveiled the ten-year voluntary Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions (ACCESS) Model, operated through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, in December 2025 for beneficiaries in original Medicare. The first performance period began July 1, 2026, with the model slated to run through June 30, 2036.
The agency said 160 organizations currently are participating in the ACCESS model, with more to be added as the model moves forward. While the model is limited to original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans “may offer similar programs,” CMS said.
“We built ACCESS because too many people with chronic conditions were falling through the cracks between appointments,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “ACCESS is one of the tools we are using to bring healthcare into the digital age, giving patients and their providers greater access to AI-enabled technologies, remote monitoring, connected devices, and other innovative tools that can help identify problems earlier and improve care. This latest expansion of the program will help more Americans get the care they need and reward providers who deliver actual results.”
According to the agency, three out of four people with Medicare qualify for at least one ACCESS track. Tracks for the new conditions will be available starting in spring 2027.