Medical AI enters an era of “rewarding health improvement,” as a new U.S. public health insurance system encourages AI adoption

U.S. CMS plans to launch ACCESS in July 2026, a new payment model that rewards chronic care based on patient health improvements.

The shift away from fee-for-service could make it easier to pay for AI tools that provide ongoing support, coaching, and monitoring.

Access to reimbursement may accelerate adoption of medical AI, especially for chronic disease management in Medicare and Medicaid.

Key challenges remain around sensitive health data, patient consent, accountability for errors, and the program’s budget impact.