Hospice News January 6, 2026
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched a new Accountable Care Organization-focused (ACO) payment model demonstration. The Long-term Enhanced ACO Design (LEAD) model is designed to help improve care collaboration and outcomes, including at the end of life.
The new LEAD model replaces the ACO Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (REACH) demonstration, set to expire at the end of 2026. The LEAD model is aimed at improving care coordination among a broader mix of health care providers, including hospices.
LEAD is among the longest payment demonstrations ever to be tested, with a performance period of 10 years. The voluntary model will run from January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2036.
The new payment model could...
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