By Dr. Manoj Bhattarai, MD · Board-Certified Geriatrician · 8 min read
If you or a loved one is managing high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic knee or back pain, or depression, there’s a major change coming to how Medicare supports your care. The CMS ACCESS Model — launching in July 2026 — is a 10-year initiative from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that fundamentally reimagines chronic disease management for older adults.
At Florida Elder Care, we’re proud to be among the first practices in Florida selected to participate in the ACCESS Model. Here’s what this means for you and your family.
What Does ACCESS Stand For?
ACCESS stands for Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches to Chronic Care through Enabling Systems and Services. It’s a CMS Innovation Center model that pays healthcare providers based on how well patients do — not how many times they visit the office. This is called “outcome-aligned payments” (OAPs), and it’s a game-changer for chronic disease care.
The Four Clinical Tracks
The ACCESS Model covers four major areas of chronic disease, which CMS calls “clinical tracks”:
1. Enhanced Chronic Kidney Management (eCKM): For patients with chronic kidney disease and hypertension. This includes remote blood pressure monitoring, kidney function tracking, and coordinated care between your geriatrician and nephrologist.
2. Chronic Kidney Management (CKM): For earlier-stage kidney disease with hypertension and/or diabetes. Focuses on slowing disease progression and preventing dialysis through proactive management.
3. Musculoskeletal Pain (MSK): For patients with chronic knee pain, hip pain, or back pain. Emphasizes non-opioid, multimodal pain management approaches that keep seniors active and independent.
4. Behavioral Health (BH): For patients with depression and anxiety, which are dramatically underdiagnosed in seniors. Integrates mental health screening and treatment into routine medical visits.
How This Benefits You
Under the ACCESS Model, your care team is rewarded for keeping you healthy — not for scheduling unnecessary appointments. This means more time with your doctor when you need it, remote monitoring between visits so problems are caught early, technology-enabled care using devices you already own, and better coordination between all your healthcare providers.
Why Florida Elder Care for ACCESS?
Dr. Manoj Bhattarai is dual board-certified in geriatrics and nephrology — making our practice uniquely qualified to manage the kidney, cardiovascular, pain, and behavioral health conditions covered by the ACCESS Model. We already deliver care at patients’ homes and nursing facilities, and our technology infrastructure is built to support remote monitoring and telehealth.
The ACCESS Model launches in July 2026. Contact us today to learn how this program can transform your care, or visit our ACCESS Model page for more details.