Published by APM Connect on 11/9/2026 CJR-X does not begin until 2028, and hospitals keep asking the same question: how are we going to do in a model we have no data for yet? Session 3 of the Downside Risk Bootcamp answered it the only way it can be answered, by running national Medicare fee-for-service claims from 2023 through 2025 against the CJR-X rules and seeing what comes out. The session walked the national picture first, then took one blinded hospital apart line by li

Published by APM Connect on 11/9/2026 Sarah Chuzi, MD, MSc; Karen Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH; Tara Lagu, MD, MPH. JAMA Viewpoint, published online November 2, 2026. Heart failure (HF) is one of the most evidence-rich areas of cardiovascular medicine, yet a persistent gap separates proven therapies from the care patients actually receive. In this JAMA Viewpoint, the authors argue that closing that gap requires more than changing clinician behavior. It requires infrastructure such a

Published by APM Connect | 10/7/2026 ASM CMS Office Hours clarified portal onboarding, participant responsibilities, reporting requirements, and unresolved policy questions for the 2027 model start. Portal Onboarding ASM-selected physicians must register individually through the CMS Enterprise Portal to confirm contact information, complete required onboarding activities, and gain access to the data, tools, and resources needed to succeed in the model. Registration should oc

Published on APM Connect | August 2026 CMS has not yet posted the final list of clinicians who will be in the Ambulatory Specialty Model on January 1, 2027, 133 days from now, the ASM Participants data site still holds only the February preliminary file. But the two cost measures the model runs on are not a mystery, and they are not new. ASM's cost category uses the existing MIPS episode-based cost measures for heart failure and low back pain, and the 2026 performance-period

Published on APM Connect | August 2026 On July 16, CMS released its proposed rule for the Calendar Year 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), which includes several updates to the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM). Now that we’ve had time to read and digest the proposals, here’s a breakdown of what ASM participants need to know. Some Cardiologists May Be Excepted from ASM Participation One of the notable structural proposals is an exception pathway for certain cardiolog

Members Access the Recording and Slides. If your organization has physicians participating in the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM), the CCA is not optional. It is one of two required Improvement Activities under the ASM, and every eligible participant, whether a cardiologist treating heart failure patients or an orthopedic surgeon managing low back pain must complete it. You don't have to figure this out alone. This is exactly why APM Connect exists. We hosted a live webinar

CMS is changing how certain cardiologists, orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, pain management specialists, anesthesiologists and physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians treating Medicare patients with heart failure and low back pain are paid, and it comes with downside risk.

Are you ready for the ASM Model? The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a resource designed to support organizations preparing for participation in the ASM model. This ASM Participant Readiness Resource Manual provides guidance to help practices, health systems, and partners complete all the checklist items from CMS. What this means for you As CMS continues to advance value-based care through new and evolving models, readiness is critical. This guide off

→ Look up your NPI at TechyPolicy.com — the interactive tool shows your individual Part B allowed amounts, penalty exposure at each year’s rate (9% → 12%), cohort assignment, small practice designation, and organizational context. If you manage a group, the organization scorecard aggregates all ASM participants within your entity.

CMS has released the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM) preliminary participants dataset for the 2027 performance year starting January 1, 2027.

CMS determines ASM participant eligibility using the following criteria. A clinician must meet all four to be subject to mandatory participation in a given performance ye

ASM selection isn’t a one-time event—it’s a data-driven, multi-year process tied to historical claims and episode volume.

CMS finalized its proposal for a new test model launching in 2027: the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM).

CMS has finalized the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM)—a mandatory, condition‑focused value‑based care initiative designed to transform specialist care for Original Medicare beneficiaries. Launching on January 1, 2027, and running through December 31, 2031, ASM targets outpatient specialists treating heart failure and low back pain.

ASM represents the first large-scale effort by CMS to hold specialists accountable. Learn more about ASM.

CMS proposes the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM), a new mandatory model holding specialists accountable for heart failure and low back pain.