ACO REACH to become LEAD, with more features, high-needs patient care

Article Overview

This article covers CMS’s evolving Medicare ACO model design, moving from ACO REACH toward the LEAD model and the related policy changes expected to affect participating practices. It is relevant to ACO leaders, primary care organizations, health system administrators, and coding/reimbursement professionals who track Medicare Innovation models, patient alignment approaches, beneficiary incentives, and care arrangements for complex populations. The article compares current REACH features with anticipated LEAD features and discusses how the model may affect participation, benchmarking, preferred-provider relationships, and services for high-needs beneficiaries.