The States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD) Model is a new federal program that would allow Medicare to join Vermont’s health care reform efforts to improve the health of Vermonters, advance health equity so that everyone can reach their full potential for health, and reduce the growth of healthcare costs. Vermont was selected to participate in the AHEAD Model in July 2024. The primary components of the model are:
- Hospital Global Budgets, where hospitals will be paid a fixed amount of revenue, or a “global budget,” to provide services to Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries.
- Primary Care AHEAD, which is a voluntary program for primary care practices to receive an additional payment from Medicare to provide coordinated care to Vermonters with Medicare coverage.
Learn more about the AHEAD Model:
- Video overview of Vermont’s Health Care Reform Efforts and the State’s application for the AHEAD Model
- Frequently Asked Questions about the AHEAD Model, updated July 2024
- Press Release about Vermont's acceptance to participate in the AHEAD Model, July 2024
- Vermont's AHEAD Model application and Hospital Letters of Interest, submitted March 2024
- Press Release about Vermont’s AHEAD Model application
- AHEAD Model Term Sheet, December 2024
- Draft Vermont AHEAD Model State Agreement, received from CMS on December 16, 2024
- AHEAD Press Event recording (4/11/24)
Please email AHS.HealthCareReform@vermont.gov with any questions or comments.