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Behind a Medicare pilot widely seen as the Trump administration's clearest health tech vision is Andy Slavitt, a general partner at Town Hall Ventures.

What he's saying: "We're at the cusp of something that could be as transformative as anything," says Slavitt, a former CMS administrator.

Inside the room: Slavitt spoke to Axios Pro about the yearlong process behind the creation of the Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions program and what the initiative could mean for digital health companies.

ACCESS would pay participating Medicare providers and suppliers a fixed amount to manage patients' chronic issues. Slavitt's firm, Town Hall Ventures, helped CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz reach out to investors and businesses core to the program's success.

This Expert Voices interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

How did Town Hall's collaboration with CMS come to be?

"It goes back about a year. I had a conversation with Dr. Oz about what it would take to create a world where AI is developed specifically for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries that keeps people healthy and out of the hospital. 

We landed on three things we needed: interoperability — data; an ecosystem like an app store, which they are now calling a directory; and payment from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI).

Then we gathered for [Dr. Oz] an array of tech companies, other investors, providers, consumer experts and innovators, and helped him put together some working groups.

Then they reached out to something like 60 companies, and 190 raised their hands and said, 'We want to be part of this too.'"

Why do you think Dr. Oz cares what you think? Why does he trust your input?

"Town Hall is a tech investor who understands policy; this doesn't work if policy doesn't enable tech industry participation. Also, I've been in his shoes before.

This is a really bold initiative. He didn't want to build something and have no one show up.

We brought other investors in too, so we wouldn't be the only voice. For example, we brought in General Catalyst and Kleiner Perkins, who brought in many others."

What makes ACCESS different from the value-based, preventive care models that the health care world has been talking about for decades?

"I think a lot of physicians struggle because investing in keeping someone compliant with their hypertension medication or managing their hypertension is really low on the priority list. Now there are companies that are participating in this that can help with that.

This is a 10-year model, not a three-year model. People can make investments, there is going to be continuity, and this is something they're serious about."

How do you think this program will affect digital health companies?

"There's a big opportunity for a lot of companies to get involved. I suspect you'll have hundreds, if not thousands, of companies that respond, but applicants will have to prove they can move outcomes.

Even more exciting, I think you'll have new ones that get created. I could see Town Hall launching a new company that's very focused on trying to meet the needs of this market."

How is the current administration's willingness to interact with the digital health industry different from prior ones?

"It's way more out of the box, and to be fair to prior administrations, that's in part because you now have the benefit of generative AI.

But you have to give the administration credit. If they weren't so leaned into technology and AI governance, they probably wouldn't do this as boldly." 

Town Hall Ventures' Andy Slavitt on a "bold" health tech initiative at CMS

"We're at the cusp of something that could be as transformative as anything," Slavitt, a former CMS administrator, tells Axios..

Photo illustration of Andy Slavitt collaged with the logo of Town Hall Ventures.

Photo Illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Courtesy of Town Hall Ventures

Expert Voices

Behind a Medicare pilot widely seen as the Trump administration&#x27;s clearest health tech vision is Andy Slavitt, a general partner at Town Hall Ventures.What he&#x27;s saying: &quot;We&#x27;re at the cusp of something that could be as transformative as anything,&quot; says Slavitt, a former CMS administrator.

Town Hall Ventures' Andy Slavitt on a "bold" health tech initiative at CMS

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