CMS's 2026 Final Rule lowered the RPM threshold from 16 days and 20 minutes to as few as 2 days and 10 minutes, raised CCM reimbursement roughly 10 percent, and made the Ambulatory Specialty Model for heart failure and low back pain mandatory.

CMS is launching the ACCESS model in July 2026, a 10-year initiative that ties chronic care payments directly to measurable patient outcomes rather than time-based billing. At the same time, UnitedHealthcare tried to gut RPM coverage for chronic hypertension, diabetes, and COPD, only to postpone after industry backlash. These opposing moves create a defining moment for health system leaders.

CMS's new ACCESS model, launching July 5, 2026, introduces outcome-aligned payments for technology-enabled chronic care management across conditions like hypertension, diabetes, chronic pain, and depression. This is a 10-year model that ties full reimbursement to measurable patient health outcomes, not just documented activities.

The U.S. is short roughly 84,000 physicians and 250,000 RNs, and traditional hiring strategies cannot close that gap. AI adoption in healthcare has nearly doubled since 2024, but most organizations are deploying it without redesigning workflows around their clinical teams.

American healthcare is failing its doctors, not the other way around. I started Welby Health because physicians deserve a system built around keeping people healthy, not one that burns them out treating preventable crises. On National Doctors' Day, let's honor the people and fix the model.

UnitedHealthcare is pulling RPM coverage for hypertension, diabetes, and COPD, calling it "unproven." At the same time, CMS is launching ACCESS -- a 10-year payment model that ties Medicare Part B dollars directly to technology-enabled chronic care outcomes -- and the FDA's TEMPO pilot is fast-tracking digital health devices to support it. The evidence overwhelmingly supports RPM.

CMS is making three structural moves in 2026 that change the economics of chronic care management: a 10% reimbursement increase on all CCM codes, new RPM billing flexibility that rewards continuous patient engagement over episodic check-ins, and the launch of ACCESS -- a ten-year payment model that ties Medicare Part B dollars directly to technology-enabled outcomes.

For National Kidney Month, learn how to tackle the silent crisis of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) affecting 35.5 million American adults. Our upcoming article explores how combining Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) and Chronic Care Management (CCM) closes gaps in traditional care by providing continuous patient visibility and structured care coordination.

Hiring a cheap MA to run your CCM program looks like a smart move on paper. But when you factor in audit risk, missed code stacking, patient attrition, physician oversight time, and scope limitations, the "cheaper" option often costs more than doing it right.

Most medical groups say they're "doing CCM." The numbers say they're barely scratching the surface.

Texas just secured the largest rural health investment in state history. For rural hospitals and providers, the question is no longer whether to modernize, but how fast.

MARKUS matters not because it’s intelligent, but because it reshaped how our internal teams make decisions, where human judgment stays essential, and where work quietly disappears instead of accumulating.We market it. We demo it. We’re proud of it. Not because anyone else can use it, but because it proves what’s possible when AI is built to serve real operations, not abstract users.

If you run a primary care group, an ACO, or a Medicare Advantage plan, you’ve felt the tension: chronic disease is eating your day alive, but the “visit-based” system still rewards you for the moment, not the month.The 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) changes don’t magically fix that. But they do something important: they reinforce that CMS is not treating remote care like a side quest.

I'm the CTO at Welby Health, where we build technology for Remote Patient Monitoring and Chronic Care Management. Over the past year, we've built Markus, an internal AI assistant that helps our nurses and clinical staff with everything from patient lookups to workflow automation. Markus connects to our EHR, BigQuery, Looker, HubSpot, and a dozen other systems via MCP servers.

The 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule dropped — and it’s not just another annual update. CMS is shifting how value is rewarded, how care management is reimbursed, and what operational plays practices must master to stay financially healthy in 2026 and beyond.

Healthcare struggles because time is fragmented across too many systems that do not talk to each other. Point blank. At Welby, we stopped trying to optimize around that reality. We built something new instead. Markus OS.

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) stopped being a gadget experiment years ago. Today it’s a real clinical service line — and the difference between a pilot that looks good on slides and a program that actually moves the needle is integration, escalation design, and honest math on ROI.Below is a clear-eyed snapshot of where RPM and hospital-at-home (H@H) stand today, what the evidence actually tells

CMS has finalized the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), and this year’s rule delivers some of the most substantial improvements to Remote Care Management since the programs were created. The updates sharpen the structure of Chronic Care Management (CCM), expand flexibility in Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), and accelerate the shift toward comprehensive, proactive, team-based care.

AI isn’t a futuristic buzzword; it’s here and now, delivering tangible benefits in primary care practices nationwide. By leveraging Welby Health’s MARKUS AI within our full-service remote monitoring program, physician offices can provide top-notch care for complex chronic patients with ease and efficiency.

Choosing the right virtual care partner is crucial for physician offices. Prioritize vendors with highly qualified staff who embody your practice's values. Look for comprehensive program capabilities, including diverse offerings, integrated technology, and robust administrative support. Ensure compliance with HIPAA and data security standards. Select a partner that offers scalability, flexibility

Physician burnout is a complex issue, but it's not insurmountable. External care management programs, like those offered by Welby Health, provide a lifeline for overburdened physicians, allowing them to reclaim their passion for medicine and provide the best possible care to their patients. It's time to move beyond simply acknowledging the problem and embrace solutions that empower physicians an

Advanced Primary Care Management (APCM) has emerged as a transformative solution, empowering practices to enhance patient outcomes and streamline care delivery. At Welby, we leverage cutting-edge technology and a patient-centric approach to revolutionize APCM implementation and management.

In summary, embracing remote patient monitoring is a strategic decision and a path to transforming patient care and delivering exceptional outcomes. By harnessing the power of RPM, you can revolutionize your practice, enhance patient engagement, improve clinical efficiency, and ultimately improve the health and well-being of your patients. As the healthcare industry embraces technology, RPM presen

Choosing the right RPM provider depends on your specific needs and priorities. Welby Health is here to offer valuable solutions that can help you improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, and prepare for the future of value-based care.

Outsourced patient engagement programs can be a valuable tool for medical practices looking to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction. By outsourcing patient engagement to a third-party provider, medical practices can free up their staff to focus on other tasks, such as providing direct patient care.