The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center announced a new voluntary, state total cost of care model: the States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD) model. CMS will select up to eight states to participate in the model, which is intended to curb health care cost growth, improve population health, and advance health equity, and is built on best practices from the Maryland Total Cost of Care model, the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model, and the Vermont All-Payer ACO Model.
Participating states will receive up to $12 million each to implement the model during one of three start dates, with the model concluding in December 2034. CMS expects to begin the pre-implementation period for the first cohort next summer. CMS will announce more detailed requirements for the AHEAD Model in a funding opportunity notice this fall.
CMS will hold a webinar on Sept. 18 to provide an overview of the model. Registration is required and a link will be available on the model webpage.