CMS locks final mandatory heart-failure model roster, ACC flags misclassification
Jul 13, 2026 – Sep 1, 2026
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Mandatory Ambulatory Specialty Model forces cardiologists into two-sided risk starting January 2027
CMS finalized the Ambulatory Specialty Model, a mandatory program running January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2031 that puts participating cardiologists and other specialists into two-sided financial risk.
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CMS confirms mandatory Medicare risk model for heart failure cardiologists
Roughly 8,600 cardiologists who treat outpatient Medicare heart failure patients in CMS-selected regions must join the mandatory, five-year Ambulatory Specialty Model starting January 1, 2027, with no opt-out and payment swings of negative 9 percent to positive 9 percent on Part B claims through 2031.
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ACC finds up to 20 percent of cardiologists tapped for mandatory Medicare risk model may be misclassified
The American College of Cardiology's own analysis found that up to 20 percent of physicians CMS selected for the mandatory Ambulatory Specialty Model may be misclassified under the cardiovascular disease specialty code CMS used to build its roughly 8,600 physician roster.
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CMS locks final mandatory heart-failure model roster, ACC flags misclassification
CMS published its final list of 2,600 general cardiologists required to join the mandatory Ambulatory Specialty Model for heart failure launching January 1, 2027, and the American College of Cardiology says about 500 were added in error.
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