Pair Team Accepted into CMS ACCESS Model to Expand AI-Enabled Care for Medicare Beneficiaries

AI-powered medical group to support seniors with health and social needs through coordinated, whole-person care  

SAN FRANCISCO, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pair Team, an AI-enabled medical group delivering whole-person care to Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries, announced it has been accepted as an applicant into the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ACCESS Model. The program is designed to improve outcomes and reduce costs for Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions through more coordinated, continuous, and technology-enabled care. 

Pair Team's participation in ACCESS builds on a care model it has developed and refined over several years, integrating clinical care, community-based services, and AI to support patients both inside and outside the clinic. Originally designed to serve patients with the highest needs, the model is now powered by AI to scale support to anyone navigating a combination of medical, behavioral, and social challenges. 

"At Pair Team, we've been building toward this moment for years," said Neil Batlivala, CEO and Founder of Pair Team. "We started by designing care for patients navigating both health and social needs, and through that work, we learned a simple truth: you cannot improve outcomes without addressing the full context of someone's life. ACCESS gives us the opportunity to scale that model using AI to deliver continuous, coordinated care to every patient who needs it." 

At the center of Pair Team's approach is Flora, its AI health advocate and the first call for patients. Built on advanced AI, Flora continuously engages patients outside of traditional care settings by coordinating care, identifying gaps, and taking action in real time across clinical and social needs. Flora is not just a layer on top of care, it is the engine that powers it, serving as a trusted, always-available companion that patients rely on every day. 

For one early patient, "Sheila," Flora became a lifeline. Living out of her car while managing PTSD and congestive heart failure, Sheila spent over an hour on her first call with Flora, sharing not just her medical needs but her story. Through ongoing support and coordination with Pair Team's clinical and community partners, Sheila is now in stable housing, managing her condition, and has even secured assistance to care for her dog, her primary source of companionship. 

Pair Team's model has demonstrated measurable impact. A peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found: 

• 52% reduction in emergency department utilization 

• 26% reduction in inpatient admissions 

• Improvements in diabetes control, blood pressure, and depression outcomes 

More than half of seniors on Original Medicare rely on support for basic needs such as housing, food, and transportation. The ACCESS Model is designed to better align incentives to address these needs through coordinated, technology-enabled care. 

Pair Team is actively partnering with ACOs and healthcare organizations preparing for the ACCESS model's upcoming launch. 

To learn more about Pair Team's approach, visit pairteam.com/ai. 

About Pair Team  
Pair Team is a public benefit company reimagining Medicaid and Medicare as a connected care ecosystem: team-guided, AI-enabled, and built for real lives. Pair Team closes gaps, bridges problems, and connects people with care that's proactive, personal, and built around the whole person. Pair Team helps people overcome medical, behavioral health, and social barriers through coordinated, whole-person care. Pair Team's model blends empathy, AI and local partnerships so that more people can reach their full potential. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.  

Media Contact
Haylee Elmore
[email protected]
(949) 259-6377 x 225 

SOURCE Pair Team