The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) program on Jan. 1, 2026, marking the first in a series of mandatory episodic risk contracts and a significant evolution in value-based care. Unlike traditional total population models under accountable care organizations, TEAM targets discrete, high-impact episodes to drive more cost-effective, high-quality and coordinated care. As episodic risk expands, hospitals, health systems and ambulatory provider groups will increasingly assume responsibility for care planning and total cost of care, areas where they have historically managed operational, but not financial, risk. Although 2026 carries no downside risk, downside exposure begins in 2027, creating urgency to define and execute a clear strategy for success.

This session provides hospitals and health systems with a practical framework for succeeding under TEAM. Presenters will begin with an overview of the program, including incentives, challenges and the rollout timeline, followed by a discussion of the core operational and clinical levers organizations must optimize to perform well under episodic risk.

The session will conclude by providing attendees with insight into the breadth of approaches being taken by at-risk hospitals across the country, highlighting the strategic tradeoffs between traditional staffing-heavy population health models and more scalable, technology-enabled approaches. Particular focus will be placed on the role of AI-driven solutions to identify opportunity, stratify risk, target interventions and improve care team efficiency, including guidance on integration into existing workflows.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the structure of the CMS TEAM program as well as the key levers for success.
• Analyze the difference between a personnel-enabled vs. tech-enabled approach to managing quality of care and total cost of care for specific populations.
• Evaluate how AI-driven tools and workflow engineering could be combined to create a scalable and successful strategy for CMS TEAM.

Faculty:

Anant Vasudevan, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Radial

Ross Armstrong, Chief Commercial Officer, Bamboo Health

Frank Winegar, MD, Partner, Guidehouse

ACHE Qualifying Education Credit 

This activity is eligible for 1 ACHE Qualifying Education credit toward earning or maintaining your FACHE credential. 

Credits must be self-reported at My ACHE upon completion of this activity.