The Medicare ACCESS model is a new option that gives people with Original Medicare extra at-home support for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, depression and ongoing joint pain. A Medicare-approved organization provides coaching, apps, connected devices and virtual visits on top of your regular care. It is voluntary, you keep your own doctors, and it isn't available with Medicare Advantage.
ACCESS is one of the newer items in Medicare's 2027 update, and it is easy to miss because it isn't a plan you pick during Open Enrollment. You sign up directly with a participating organization, at any time. Below is who qualifies, what you get, what it costs, how it fits with your doctors, and the questions to ask before you join.
What is the Medicare ACCESS model?
ACCESS is a way for Medicare to pay approved organizations to help people manage long-term health conditions between doctor visits. According to Medicare's ACCESS page, the care is personalized, delivered from home, and meant to add to the care you already get, not replace it.
Think of it as structured support for the part of a chronic condition that happens at home: checking your blood pressure, adjusting how you eat, keeping up with medications, staying active, and getting help early when numbers start drifting. Medicare's 2027 update, Your Medicare in 2027: What's New & Changing, describes it as chronic care support at home that also connects your doctor with the participating organization.
Who is eligible for ACCESS?
Two things have to be true:
- You have Original Medicare. Medicare says you can't use ACCESS if you're in a Medicare Advantage Plan, although your plan may offer a similar program of its own.
- You have at least one qualifying condition. Medicare's list includes high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, prediabetes, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart disease (atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease), depression, anxiety, and ongoing muscle or joint pain. Medicare says more conditions may be added.
If you have more than one condition, you may be able to work with more than one organization, or with one organization that supports several conditions at once.
What services does ACCESS include?
Each organization designs its own program, but Medicare lists the kinds of support they may provide:
- Lifestyle coaching, including nutrition and exercise
- Connected or wearable devices, such as a blood pressure monitor or a continuous glucose monitor
- Apps to track readings, meals or activity
- Medication management
- Behavioral health support
- Virtual visits
- Coordinated support for more than one chronic condition
Medicare notes that an organization may give or loan you equipment. You may need to return a loaned device later, but you don't pay to use it.
How much does ACCESS cost?
Medicare says ACCESS may be available at low or no cost. Most participating organizations charge a small monthly amount, and when one organization helps you with several conditions, Medicare caps the combined monthly charge. Because the exact amounts are set out on Medicare's site and can change, check the current figures on Medicare.gov/ACCESS before you sign up, and ask the organization to confirm its monthly charge in writing.
Two cost points are worth knowing up front. First, enrolling is part of your Medicare benefits, so you don't give up any coverage to join. Second, your regular Part B costs for doctor visits stay the same. ACCESS sits alongside them. If you have a Medicare Supplement, ask the organization whether any part of its charge is something your plan would help with, rather than assuming it is.
Will ACCESS change my doctors or my coverage?
No. This is the part people worry about most, so here is how Medicare describes it:
- You keep your doctors. ACCESS doesn't replace your primary care provider or your specialists.
- You can still see any provider who accepts Medicare. Joining doesn't put you in a network.
- Your doctors stay in the loop. The organization shares your care plan with your doctors when possible, and some coordinate directly with them.
- It is voluntary. You can sign up on your own, and you can cancel or switch organizations after an initial period. Medicare.gov lists how long that period is.
Because ACCESS is only for Original Medicare, it can be a small factor in the bigger decision between Medicare Advantage and a Medicare Supplement. If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan and like the idea, ask your plan whether it offers a disease management or remote monitoring program. Many do.
How do I sign up for ACCESS?
There is no Open Enrollment deadline. Use this checklist:
| Step | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm your coverage | Make sure you have Original Medicare, not a Medicare Advantage plan | ACCESS isn't available with Medicare Advantage |
| Name your condition | Check that your condition is on Medicare's list | Eligibility depends on it |
| Find an organization | Use the directory linked from Medicare.gov/ACCESS | Availability varies by area |
| Ask about cost | Get the monthly charge and any device return rules in writing | Organizations set their own charges within Medicare's limits |
| Tell your doctor | Let your primary care doctor know you've joined | Keeps your care plan coordinated |
| Contact the organization | Sign up directly; no referral is needed | Your pharmacist or doctor can help if you'd like |
Is ACCESS available in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee?
ACCESS is a national Medicare model, so the rules are the same in all three states. What varies is which organizations serve your area. Medicare doesn't publish a list by city; it points you to its search tool, so check it with your ZIP code, whether you live in Charlotte, in York or Lancaster County in South Carolina, or in the Nashville area.
Because the services are delivered at home and largely online, an organization doesn't need to be down the street to support you. What matters locally is coordination: if your doctors are with a large Charlotte system such as Atrium Health or Novant Health, or a major Nashville health system, ask the organization how it shares your care plan with that practice.
How The Jordan Insurance Agency can help
ACCESS is a good example of why the plan you choose affects more than premiums and copays. If you manage a chronic condition, we'll walk through what Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement and Part D would look like for you, including programs like ACCESS, and compare that with Medicare Advantage plans that offer their own chronic care support. Bring your doctors, prescriptions and the conditions you're managing, and we'll lay out the tradeoffs in plain English. Schedule Your Consultation to review your options.
Reviewed by Billy Jordan Jr., licensed insurance agent · Licensing & Credentials · Last reviewed November 12, 2026 · Sources are linked in the answer above.
Licensing: Billy Jordan Jr. is licensed in 23 states, including North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. See Licensing & Credentials.
Office: North Carolina and South Carolina clients are served by the Charlotte office, 3540 Toringdon Way, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28277, (704) 926-7565. Tennessee clients are served by the Nashville office, 159 4th Ave N, Suite 100, Nashville, TN 37219, (615) 558-6082.
Medicare disclaimer: We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 8 organizations which offer 91 products in North Carolina, 7 organizations which offer 70 products in South Carolina, and 7 organizations which offer 65 products in Tennessee. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. Read the full Medicare disclaimer.
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