NEW CMS MODELS COULD RESHAPE THE LANDSCAPE FOR LIFESTYLE MEDICINE PRACTICE AND REIMBURSEMENT
The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) applauds two new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) models that could significantly reshape the landscape for lifestyle medicine practice and reimbursement.
The first model, The Make America Healthy Again: Enhancing Lifestyle and Evaluating Value-based Approaches Through Evidence (MAHA ELEVATE) for Original Medicare, was announced Thursday, December 11, 2025. The model will provide approximately $100 million to fund three-year cooperative agreements for up to 30 proposals that promote health and prevention for Original Medicare beneficiaries. The proposals will utilize evidence-based, whole-person care approaches - including lifestyle medicine interventions - currently not covered by Original Medicare. The model will also gather and evaluate new data on cost and quality to inform future interventions promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors and ultimately reduce spending in Original Medicare. CMS will release a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in early 2026 for the first cohort, and the voluntary model will launch on September 1, 2026. The model will begin on September 1, 2026. The second cohort will begin one year later. Participating organizations will receive approximately $3 million each over three years of funding to collect quality and cost data on their interventions.
"ACLM has been advocating for lifestyle medicine to be the foundation of health and all health care for over 20 years," said ACLM CEO Susan Benigas. "This action brings that vision closer to reality for our 15,000 clinician members, who are passionately working every day to bring the power of root-cause, lifestyle-first treatment to patients for the prevention, treatment, and even reversal of chronic disease. We applaud CMS for its leadership in bringing this long-awaited opportunity for hope and healing to the Medicare population through the ELEVATE model, introducing not only meaningful flexibility in care delivery, but also dedicated funding to support innovative, whole-person approaches that can truly transform outcomes."
2025-12-13T03:03:18Z