Medicare Tests ACCESS to Improve Chronic Care Through Technology
- By Michelle Dick
- In CMS
- September 30, 2026
- 2 Comments
July 5, Medicare began testing its Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions (ACCESS) payment Model. It’s a voluntary, 10-year test under CMS Innovation Center‘s authority, and it applies to Original Medicare. ACCESS is designed to expand access to technology-supported care for people with chronic conditions.
ACCESS tests whether Medicare can improve chronic condition outcomes and reduce overall costs by paying participating organizations for results instead of paying separately for every activity. It also gives care teams greater flexibility in choosing the technologies and interventions most appropriate for each patient. ACCESS strategy is to support disease prevention and promote health by empowering Medicare patients and clinicians with more choices.
How ACCESS Works
You must be a provider or supplier enrolled in Medicare Part B to participate in ACCESS. A physician medical director must be appointed to oversee care quality and compliance. Participants must provide aligned treatment to Medicare Part B patients and meet all applicable federal and state requirements, such as HIPAA compliance, licensure laws, and FDA requirements.
- Participating organizations receive predictable, recurring payments to help enrolled patients manage qualifying chronic conditions.
- Payments are tied primarily to measurable health outcomes, rather than to each individual service delivered.
- For example, payment may depend on whether a patient’s blood pressure improves or reaches a specified target.
- Organizations may use tools such as remote monitoring, wearables, virtual care, health coaching, lifestyle support, and medication management.
- Patients with Original Medicare can enroll directly with a participating organization or be referred by a primary care practitioner or another clinician.
- ACCESS care is intended to supplement, not replace, the patient’s usual medical care. Participating organizations must share care plans and clinical updates with referring clinicians. CMS’ technical FAQs explain the payment, enrollment, and coordination requirements.
Qualifying Conditions
The initial four clinical tracks are:
- Early Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic (eCKM): Hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity or overweight with marker of central obesity, and prediabetes
- Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM): Diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
- Behavioral Health (BH): Depression and anxiety
- Musculoskeletal (MSK): Chronic musculoskeletal pain
Additional tracks — including heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, substance use disorder, and tobacco cessation — are scheduled to begin April 1, 2027. CMS’s clinician-focused ACCESS page lists the tracks, qualifying conditions, outcome measures, and patient costs.
For an overview of ACCESS, see CMS’ ACCESS Model page.
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