Medicare's new payment model is built for AI. Most of the tech world has no idea
techcrunch.com
May 13, 2026
5 min read
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46/100
Summary
Pair Team has been accepted into the ACCESS program, a Medicare initiative aimed at testing AI-driven medical care. This program includes 150 participants selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Key Takeaways
- Pair Team was accepted into the ACCESS program, a Medicare initiative testing an AI-driven payment model that rewards health outcomes rather than activities, set to launch on July 5.
- The ACCESS program allows for payments to be made for AI agents that monitor patients between visits, addressing a gap in traditional Medicare reimbursement.
- Pair Team employs around 850 clinical professionals and has developed a community-integrated care model that has shown significant reductions in avoidable hospital visits.
- Pair Team has deployed a voice AI agent named Flora to manage patient interactions, improving engagement and care coordination.
Community Sentiment
Positives
- Medicare's new payment model incentivizes the use of AI, potentially leading to more efficient healthcare delivery and better patient outcomes.
- The integration of AI in healthcare could provide essential companionship for patients, enhancing mental health support in ways traditional methods cannot.
Concerns
- The risk of cherry-picking patients under the new payment model raises ethical concerns about equitable healthcare access and treatment fairness.
- Using AI as a substitute for personal interactions in therapy is viewed as a dangerous practice that could harm vulnerable individuals.
