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Expert perspectives and actionable insights to support success in episode-based and bundled payment programs.
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ASM Blog: Sept 30th CMS ASM Office Hours Summarized
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

APMConnect
Oct 7


Understanding Shared Savings in TEAM and CJR-X: How to Build a Gainsharing Arrangement That Holds Up
Published by APM Connect 10/1/2026 TEAM hospitals move into downside risk in January, and CJR-X is on the way. The surgeons already know gainsharing is allowed, and many are asking for it. Kevin Lieb of Physician Alignment Solutions and Candice Morton of UNC Health walked APM Connect members through what it takes to put a shared savings arrangement in place: the legal structure, how the money flows, how to pick collaborators, and where programs get stuck. What we covered: A s

APMConnect
Oct 1


Lessons Learned from TEAM Implementation: What Mass General Brigham Is Doing Before Downside Risk Starts
Published by APMConnect Sept 2026 Year one of the Transforming Episode Accountability Model is upside only. That changes in January 2027, and the health systems building TEAM programs right now are doing it against that clock. The population health team at Mass General Brigham spent this session showing APM Connect members what their program actually looks like in operation: how patients get identified, who touches them before and after surgery, and which post-acute habits ar

APMConnect
Sep 25


~130 Days from ASM Starting, do you know what's in your cost measure?
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

APMConnect
Aug 21


TEAM's FY2027 Final Rule Landed: Changes Impact PY1 and Future Years
Published by APM Connect | August 2026 The FY2027 IPPS proposed changes (CMS-1849-F) are now final, and modifications include changes starting as early as October 1, 2026. For hospitals in the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), CMS finalized nearly every proposal without modification. We've outlined what's changing and what your team should line up before the rule takes effect. The spinal fusion episode category is expanding CMS is adding three newly created MS

APMConnect
Aug 12


The ASM Reality Check: What Clinicians and Practice Managers Need to Know About the Ambulatory Specialty Model
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.

APMConnect
May 27


Just When We Thought It Was Safe to Go Back in the Water: The Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) Has Been Finalized!
Break down of the final rule set forth by CMS from Pinnacle.
Amy Pritchett and Kristen Taylor
Aug 26, 2025


CMS may conduct TEAM site visits
Did you know CMS may conduct TEAM site visits and compliance reviews? CMS or its designee may perform onsite monitoring to ensure proper...

Reyann Davis
Aug 15, 2025


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

APMConnect
Aug 1, 2025


Download: Quick Guide to FY 2026 TEAM Policy Proposals
Quickly get up to speed on FY 2026 TEAM policy proposals. Download the one-page guide with key updates and strategic implications.

Reyann Davis
May 1, 2025


Understanding the TEAM Mandate: Top 3 Insights Every Healthcare Leader Should Know
Top 3 insights to understand CMS’s TEAM Mandate: How hospitals can prepare for episode accountability and value-based care success.

APMConnect
Apr 29, 2025


TEAM Mandate: Innovation in Motion or Just Another Burden?
TEAM promises big changes—but will it deliver? Explore the real risks, red flags, and what hospitals should be watching.

APMConnect
Apr 23, 2025


TEAM Regulations, Decoded: Your Quick-Reference Guide
Get a quick handle on the TEAM Mandate regs—what’s required, who’s in, and how to stay compliant. Download the guide.

APMConnect
Apr 1, 2025
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