I recently participated in a listening session with CMS and the Health Care Transformation Task Force (HCTTF), building on a paper the Task Force published earlier this year. A few takeaways stayed with me.
1. Close the Language Gap
Current regulations make it difficult for ACOs to quickly translate and tailor beneficiary notices into the languages our patients actually speak. If a patient cannot read the notice about their care, they are not “empowered” — they are excluded. And that exclusion can ripple across their entire relationship with the healthcare system.
2. Prioritize Community-Led Design
Standardized templates don’t always resonate. We advocated for a model where ACOs can edit notification templates based on direct input from the patient communities they serve. Equity is not one-size-fits-all — care needs context to be impactful.
3. Eliminate the “Paperwork Penalty”
We are currently required to send physical notifications to patients every year. That complexity burden confuses patients with multiple communications that often go unread. Moving to a “once-per-agreement” model would let us redirect those resources toward actual care coordination.
4. Fix the “Marketing” Loophole
Routine clinical texts and care coordination are often incorrectly classified as “marketing.” That definition needs to be narrowed so clinicians can communicate with patients using modern technology without fear of audit risk.
Trust is a financial asset. In value-based care, it is the currency of shared savings.
When patients don’t feel seen or safe, they withdraw from the system — and when they withdraw, the entire healthcare ecosystem loses.
When clinicians, ACOs, payers, and CMS work together and focus on the practical blueprints that make high-quality care an operational reality for every community, we can make aspirational goals — like having all Medicare beneficiaries in accountable care by 2030 — a real possibility.
If you are building at the frontlines of healthcare, we have a responsibility to speak up for what is right. If you are not currently active in an advocacy group or workgroup, I encourage you to join one. Our voices are needed at the table so no community is left behind.
