Connecticut, Maryland, and Vermont will be the first states to participate in CMS's new population health-focused payment model aimed at addressing chronic disease, behavioral health and overall improvement of care management for states' populations.
Pending satisfaction of certain requirements, Hawaii will also participate in the program known as the States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD) model, according to a July 2 CMS news release.
States participating in the AHEAD model will be accountable for quality and population health outcomes, along with reducing avoidable spending. Participating states could receive up to $12 million to support implementation of the model.
Maryland and Vermont will participate in Cohort 1, and Connecticut will participate in Cohort 2, according to the release. Cohort 1's first performance year will tentatively begin in 2026, with a total of nine performance years. Cohort 2's first performance year will tentatively begin in 2027, with a total of eight performance years. Applications for Cohort 3 are due Aug. 12.
Learn more about the AHEAD model here.