Is Your Practice Ready for January 2027?

For many cardiology practices, January 1, 2027, may seem like it is still a long way off. In reality, the countdown has already begun.

The new CMS Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM) represents one of the most significant changes to outpatient cardiology reimbursement in years. Unlike many previous value-based care initiatives, participation will be mandatory for eligible cardiologists practicing in selected geographic areas who meet CMS participation criteria. If your practice is affected, waiting until late 2026 to prepare could leave you scrambling to meet new expectations.¹

A Different Way of Measuring Success

Historically, many cardiology practices have focused on delivering excellent clinical care while reimbursement was largely tied to the services provided.

ASM shifts that focus.

Beginning in January 2027, CMS will evaluate participating physicians not only on the care they provide, but also on patient outcomes, quality measures, cost of care, care coordination, and improvement activities. Performance will directly influence future Medicare Part B payment adjustments through a two-sided risk model, meaning practices can earn financial rewards—or face payment reductions—based on how they perform relative to their peers.

For practices managing large populations of heart failure patients, this represents both a challenge and an opportunity.

The Practices That Will Succeed

The strongest performers under ASM are unlikely to be those that simply react when patients become ill.

Instead, successful practices will be those that are proactive and:

• Identify worsening heart failure before hospitalization is needed
• Maintain consistent communication with patients between office visits
• Coordinate care effectively with primary care physicians
• Use data to identify trends and intervene early
• Keep patients engaged in managing their condition

These are exactly the types of proactive care strategies CMS hopes to encourage through the ASM model. 

Preparation Should Start Now

While the model officially begins in January 2027, CMS has already released preliminary participant information and readiness resources during 2026 to help practices prepare. Practices should not view this as a project to begin a just before implementation. Instead, the second half of 2026 should be used to evaluate workflows, identify operational gaps, and build the infrastructure needed to succeed.² (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)

Questions every practice should be asking include:

• Can we identify high-risk heart failure patients before they deteriorate?
• Are we consistently monitoring patients between office visits?
• Do we have enough staff to manage increased patient engagement?
• Can we document interventions efficiently?
• Are our physicians receiving meaningful performance data?

If the answer to any of these questions is “not yet,” there is still time, but the timeframe is growing shorter.

Remote Monitoring for HF Patients Is Becoming Essential

One of the clearest themes throughout ASM is the emphasis on prevention, early intervention, and coordinated and documented care.

Remote patient monitoring and structured patient engagement programs allow practices to identify changes in a patient’s condition earlier, communicate with patients more consistently, and document the clinical interventions that support better outcomes. These capabilities can help reduce avoidable hospitalizations while improving the patient experience—the very goals ASM was designed to achieve. 

Don’t Wait Until 2027

January 1, 2027, is more than a new calendar date. It represents a new way CMS will evaluate cardiology practices.

The organizations that begin preparing now will have time to strengthen workflows, educate staff, and implement the tools needed to thrive under the new model. Those that wait may find themselves trying to redesign patient care while already being measured against new performance standards.

At Cardiac RMS, we’re helping cardiology practices prepare for this transition by providing remote monitoring, patient engagement, and clinical support services that strengthen heart failure management while reducing the operational burden on physicians and staff.

The practices that start preparing today will be in the best position to succeed tomorrow.

¹ https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/asm?utm_source=chatgpt.com 

² https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/asm-ambulatory-specialty-model-frequently-asked-questions?utm_source=chatgpt.com