American College of Lifestyle Medicine Applauds CMS Physician Fee Schedule for Supporting Lifestyle Medicine Practices
The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) has expressed strong approval for the 2027 CMS Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule. This rule is recognized for incorporating elements that will bolster prevention, behavior change, and whole-person care delivery within the U.S. healthcare system. Key provisions include a new payment pathway for shared medical appointments (SMAs), enhanced recognition for health and wellness coaching, improved telehealth access, and support for longitudinal care. The CMS also explicitly acknowledged ACLM's Lifestyle Empowerment Approach for Diabetes Remission (LEADR) as a new quality improvement activity. These changes aim to better support comprehensive, team-based care for patients with chronic conditions, recognizing the time and resources required for such interventions. ACLM President Padmaja Patel, MD, highlighted that lifestyle medicine offers an innovative, team-based model focused on patient needs, capable of treating and often reversing chronic diseases that contrib...
