Welldoc Featured in STAT News as CMS Expands Value-Based ACCESS Model

In a major update for the digital health landscape, STAT News recently reported on the expansion of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) ACCESS model—highlighting Welldoc as one of the elite group of 39 health technology providers officially admitted to participate in the inaugural directory.

"The companies enrolled in the model include wearable-maker Whoop; AliveCor, which develops devices and software for monitoring heart health; Welldoc, a developer of tools for managing diabetes; companies that use AI chatbots for triage, like Doctronic and Counsel Health; and mental health technology developers including Limbic."

— STAT News

The ACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) model represents a landmark 10-year initiative by the Medicare Innovation Center designed to scale value-based, tech-enabled care for chronic disease management across the United States.

Key Highlights from the CMS Announcement & STAT News Coverage

1. Recognition of Welldoc’s Proven Platform

STAT News reporter Mario Aguilar highlighted Welldoc’s inclusion in Medicare’s newly published, official provider directory. Out of more than 150 provisionally accepted candidates, Welldoc was selected as one of only 39 enrolled providers ready to serve beneficiaries under the model.

2. Immediate Expansion of Eligible Conditions

While the ACCESS model launched in July 2026 focusing on core chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, behavioral health, and musculoskeletal pain, CMS announced today that the program is expanding further.

Beginning in Spring 2027, new condition tracks will launch, adding:

• Heart Failure ‍
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) ‍
• Substance Use Disorder ‍
• Tobacco Use ‍
• Long-term Musculoskeletal Support

According to CMS officials, roughly 3 in 4 Medicare beneficiaries will be eligible under at least one of these condition tracks.

3. Broad Commercial & Health Plan Alignment

The initiative has drawn backing at the highest levels of federal leadership, championed by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz. Furthermore, CMS Chief AI & Technology Officer Jacob Shiff revealed that 17 major commercial health plans—representing 165 million covered lives—have committed to adopting ACCESS-aligned outcome payment models. Partner plans include UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Cigna, Centene, CVS Health, Devoted Health, and several Blue Cross Blue Shield plans.

4. Shift Toward Outcome-Aligned Care

The ACCESS model fundamentally shifts reimbursement from traditional fee-for-service toward outcome-aligned payments, directly rewarding technology platforms that demonstrate measurable health improvements and lower overall care delivery costs.

"We’ve rewarded the volume of services delivered rather than improvements in health. When we pay for activity instead of outcomes, we get more activity."

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr., HHS Secretary

What This Means for Welldoc and Our Partners

Welldoc’s inclusion in the ACCESS directory reflects our commitment to clinical rigor, seamless data integration, and scalable digital health solutions. As CMS shifts reimbursement toward technology-driven outcomes, Welldoc remains at the forefront—equipping providers, health plans, and patients with actionable AI-powered digital health.  

‍Learn more about the Welldoc Platform and our AI & Innovation.