Medicare flips payment rules for AI care, rewarding outcomes beyond visits and reshaping everyday treatment

Medicare will pay for what happens between appointments

Medicare has launched a payment model that could accelerate AI’s leap from pilots to routine care. Instead of paying mainly for clinic visits or clinician time, the ACCESS programme rewards organizations with predictable funding for measurable health outcomes, paying the full amount only when patients improve. This shift creates room for tools that manage follow-ups, monitoring, referrals, and medication between appointments. One early participant, Pair Team, supports patients facing chronic disease and instability through tech-enabled, continuous coordination.