Under the program announced on April 1, “eligible hemp-derived products can be incorporated into patient care plans under clinician guidance, consistent with model requirements and applicable law,” CMS said in a press release. However, the program will only be available to beneficiaries enrolled in the Accountable Care Organization Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (ACO REACH) model and the Enhancing Oncology Model, and will be available to participants in the Long-Term Enhanced ACO Design Model beginning in 2027.
For the current performance period, five ACO REACH organizations have submitted implementation plans that CMS will review. CMS said it anticipated those plans, if approved, to be able to start offering the program right away, with additional participants added over time.
