ATA Action Applauds New CMMI Access Model and Other HHS Initiatives to Expand Access to Tech-Enabled Care for Medicare Beneficiaries

 ATA Action, the advocacy arm of the American Telemedicine Association, commented on several new initiatives launched by U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies aimed at expanding access to technology enabled care and evaluating functional and lifestyle interventions for Medicare beneficiaries.

This month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced two new initiatives, the CMS Innovation (CMMI) Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions (ACCESS) Model and the Make America Health Again: Enhancing Lifestyle and Evaluating Value-based Approaches Through Evidence (MAHA ELEVATE) Model. The CMMI ACCESS Model is a 10-year national test of a voluntary “outcome aligned” payment approach under Fee-for-Service Medicare designed to expand access to technology-supported care for people with certain chronic conditions. The MAHA ELEVATE Model will provide approximately $100 million to fund three-year cooperative agreements for up to 30 organizations that either provide “whole person” functional or lifestyle medicine services that are not covered by Medicare.

Aligned with CMMI ACCESS, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also launched its new pilot program, Technology-Enabled Meaningful Patient Outcomes (TEMPO), aimed at accelerating access to digital health technologies targeting the conditions managed under the new CMMI model. Under TEMPO, FDA may allow companies participating in ACCESS to seek temporary enforcement discretion while collecting real world data to support future FDA authorization.

“These new programs can strengthen the nation’s chronic care infrastructure by modernizing chronic care using technology and focusing on value and outcomes without full rulemaking to enable faster innovation,” said Alexis Apple, deputy executive director, ATA Action and vice president of federal affairs at the ATA. “We are excited by the potential of these forward-thinking initiatives by federal agencies like CMS and FDA to modernize health care by encouraging the development and adoption of digital technologies and evaluating services aimed at prevention and early intervention. We stand ready to work with Congress and the Administration to ensure long-term stability to Medicare beneficiaries and the clinicians who rely on telehealth and digital health tools, and expand access to high-quality, affordable, and patient-centered care.”

Telehealth, including remote patient monitoring (RPM), asynchronous tools, digital therapeutics, and AI-enabled clinical support technologies, is proven to enhance chronic care management by improving early detection, strengthening care coordination, reducing avoidable hospitalizations, and supporting medication adherence. Patients with diabetes, heart failure, hypertension, COPD, cancer, and behavioral health conditions rely heavily on telehealth for routine follow-up, symptom monitoring, and specialist access. Virtual care also drives cost savings by reducing unnecessary emergency department visits, preventing readmissions, supporting timely interventions through remote monitoring, and enabling hospitals and clinicians to manage higher patient volumes more efficiently.

“The recent shutdown highlighted the urgent need for a permanent solution to allow virtual care technologies to deliver quality care to Medicare beneficiaries that support better outcomes, improved access, and cost savings,” added Apple. “We applaud CMS and FDA for launching these significant initiatives and will continue to work closely with the Administration to find the best approaches for addressing barriers to virtual care to ensure optimal participation, including licensing and reimbursement, and encourage innovation in care delivery for chronic conditions.”

About ATA Action

ATA Action recognizes that telehealth and virtual care have the potential to transform the healthcare delivery system by improving patient outcomes, enhancing the safety and effectiveness of care, addressing health disparities, and reducing costs. ATA Action is a registered 501c6 entity and an affiliated trade organization of the American Telemedicine Association (ATA).