AHEAD Model

Governor Moore Announces $4 Million in Federal Funding to Advance Innovative and Equitable Health Care Through the AHEAD Model

ANNAPOLIS, MD — On July 2nd, 2024 Governor Wes Moore announced that the Maryland Department of Health and the Health Services Cost Review Commission received grant funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to support Maryland’s implementation of the federal States Advancing All-Payer Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD) Model. The funding and new model will enable Maryland to build on its unique all-payer hospital rate setting system, with a broader focus on support for primary care, population health, and health equity.

AHEAD drives health care transformation both by improving total population health and lowering costs across all payers—including Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers. The model supports the delivery of high-quality care, greater care coordination, and advanced health equity by supporting underserved patients. AHEAD will also increase resources to support primary care and transform health care in the community.

Maryland’s request for AHEAD Model Cooperative Agreement funding focused on health equity and health-related social needs. The grant award includes funding for:

Regional community-based population health hubs to support community-level population health investment and efforts to address health-related social needs;
Community grants to address population health and health-related social needs; and
Technology for statewide coordinated health-related social needs screening and referral.

Maryland will begin implementing the AHEAD model on January 1, 2026.

Read the Governor's full press release.

Background

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD) Model. The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) are carefully reviewing the AHEAD Model NOFO. The AHEAD Model is an option that would allow Maryland to continue state-wide efforts to improve healthcare quality and control costs under the Total Cost of Care (TCOC) Model agreement with CMS.

AHEAD is a state total cost of care (TCOC) model that seeks to drive state and regional health care transformation and multi-payer alignment, with the goal of improving the total health of a state population and lowering costs across all payers, including Medicare, Medicaid, and private coverage. The model aims to support the delivery of high-quality care, improved population health, greater care coordination, and advanced health equity by supporting underserved patients. AHEAD aims to increase resources available to participating states to improve the overall health of their population, support primary care, and transform health care in their communities. The federal government released a Notice of Funding Opportunity on November 16, 2023. More information about the AHEAD Model can be found on CMS's website.

NOFO Documents
The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) submitted an application to participate in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development Model. Please see the the application and summary linked below:

Advisory Committees

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) convened three committees to advise the State on the future of Maryland’s agreement with CMS, including evaluating the AHEAD Model. These committees helped advise the State in the development of the AHEAD NOFO response.

The Population Health Transformation Advisory Committee (P-TAC) will provide advice to MDH and HSCRC to transform the state's approach to equity-centered population health improvement.
The Healthcare Transformation Advisory Committee (H-TAC) will provide advice on all-payer cost savings targets, hospital quality improvement, and continued transformation of Maryland’s healthcare delivery system.
The Primary Care Program Transformation Advisory Committee (PCP-TAC) will provide advice on primary care spending targets and the future of a multi-payer aligned primary care program.

Each advisory committee will consider health equity in all of their recommendations.

Advisory Committee Meeting Dates

Advisory Committee	Meeting Dates
Population Health Transformation Advisory Committee (P-TAC)	Monday, February 5, 2024 at 1:00PM-3:00PM Meeting Materials Meeting Recording Monday, March 4, 2024 at 1:00PM-3:00PM Meeting Materials Meeting Recording Summary of Comments
Healthcare Transformation Advisory Committee (H-TAC)	Friday, January 19, 2024 at 1:00PM-3:00PM Meeting Materials Meeting Recording Friday, February 16, 2024 at 1:00PM-3:00PM Meeting Materials Meeting Recording Summary of Comments Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 8:00AM-10:00AM Meeting Materials Meeting Recording (PW: xH&7iN.*)
Primary Care Program Transformation Advisory Committee (PCP-TAC)	Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:30AM-10:30AM Meeting Materials Meeting Recording Friday, February 23, 2024 at 8:30AM-10:30AM Meeting Materials Meeting Recording Summary of Comments

Advisory Committee (P-TAC, H-TAC, PCP-TAC) Membership