The CMS Innovation Center announced on September 5 a new Advancing All Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD) Model. It is the first state total cost of care model, which seeks to transform state and regional health care and use multi-payer alignment.

CMS will select up to eight states to participate, and includes options for states who need more time to implement the model to participate. Under the model, each participating state will be responsible for controlling overall growth in health care expenditures.

Interested states will be able to apply in one of two application periods: fall 2023 and spring 2024. Selected states will be eligible to receive up to $12 million in funding over the first six years of the 11-year model.

CMS says the model seeks to promote health equity, increase primary care access, establish a sustainable health care spending trajectory, and lower per-patient health care costs. The model is designed to serve all payer populations: those dually eligible for Medicare & Medicaid, Medicare-only, Medicaid-only, and private pay. CMS will host a webinar on September 18 from 3 – 4:30 p.m. ET on the details of the model. Registration information for the webinar is not yet available.

Read more about the AHEAD Model here.