I’m excited to share a pivotal development for healthcare in Maryland and beyond: the formal signing of the AHEAD Model agreement. This is a transformative step that could set new benchmarks for improving health outcomes while containing costs. Let me walk you through why this agreement matters, both for our community and for the broader healthcare landscape.
The AHEAD Model, officially known as the “States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development” initiative, is an effort launched by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and is tailored to Maryland’s existing healthcare infrastructure. It builds on the successes of the Maryland Total Cost of Care (TCOC) Model, which GBMC has long supported. At its core, the AHEAD Model seeks to extend these gains with even greater focus on health equity, population health, and improving health outcomes and care experience while reducing the cost of care
What Does the AHEAD Model Mean for Maryland?
With the signing of this agreement, Maryland continues to lead the nation in healthcare innovation. Our state’s approach remains unique: rather than reimbursing hospitals on a fee-for-service basis, which incentivizes more treatments rather than better outcomes, we use a global budget system. Under this model, hospitals receive a fixed amount of revenue annually, encouraging efficiency and proactive patient care.
The AHEAD Model elevates this concept with new, statewide strategies focused on three essential pillars:
- Constrained Healthcare Cost Growth: By aligning public and private investments with common population health goals, the model ensures that cost control remains a top priority, benefiting all Marylanders.
- Advanced Primary Care: The program calls for increased investment in primary care, supporting practices across the care continuum, including behavioral health and preventive medicine.
- Health Equity and Community Empowerment: Perhaps the most compelling aspect is the commitment to addressing social drivers of health. By empowering local communities and elevating their voices in decision-making, Maryland aims to build capacity and overcome deep-seated inequities that have plagued our healthcare system for too long.
Why This Matters to GBMC
Our health system has been a pioneer in advancing the principles of population health and accountability in patient care. The work we’ve done through the Maryland Primary Care Program and our patient-centered medical homes working with our outstanding specialist physicians, has laid a solid foundation for succeeding under the AHEAD Model. From reducing unnecessary hospitalizations to actively managing chronic illnesses, our strategies are in perfect alignment with AHEAD’s mission.
We know that providing care when a person is acutely sick is essential, but it is equally vital to maintain their health over the long term. That’s why we’ve also been focusing on non-medical needs like transportation, housing, and food security in underserved areas. The AHEAD Model will amplify these efforts by providing structured resources and more coordinated policies across the state.
Looking Forward
AHEAD is a complex, long-term plan that will roll out over several years. Currently, we are in the “pre-implementation period,” in which statewide accountability targets are being defined for primary care and population health/health equity. The model is expected to launch in 2026.
Our journey with AHEAD will not be without challenges, but the possibilities are great. It is my hope that this model will help bring us to a better future, where healthcare delivery is more equitable, costs are reined in, and health outcomes improve for everyone—not just a privileged few. Maryland is poised to set a new standard, and I am confident that GBMC HealthCare is well-positioned to lead this transformation.
Thanking More of Our Teams
We often recognize November, and the holiday season in general, as a time of gratitude. We can never truly thank our team members enough, so it is always nice to take a moment to acknowledge the roles within healthcare being honored at a national level during recognition weeks. This week, in line with several national observances, I want to give a big thank you to our radiologic technologists, patient transporters, medical staff services professionals, forensic nurses, and ophthalmic technicians. It takes a broad range of expertise and talents to ensure we meet the needs of our health system as well as our patients, and these teams work hard behind the scenes and on the front lines to enhance patient care, safety, and overall experience.
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