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Prepare for CMS TEAM with the PurpleLab Team

What is TEAM?

Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)-mandated, 5-year episode-based payment model that launches Jan 1, 2026, and applies to select acute care hospitals.

TEAM requires selected acute care hospitals to coordinate care for traditional Medicare beneficiaries undergoing 5 surgical procedures:

    • Lower extremity joint replacement
    • Surgical hip and femur fracture treatment 
    • Spinal fusion
    • Coronary artery bypass graft
    • Major bowel procedure

To succeed in the program, hospital participants must develop effective care pathways and protocols. CMS will now pay a single target price for each of these procedures that covers not just the surgery itself, but all services that happen during and after the procedure, including follow-up care for 30 days post-discharge. TEAM enforces accountability for the cost and quality of care throughout the episode. Depending on performance, hospitals may receive a bonus or face a penalty. The goal is to make sure everyone involved in a patient's care is working together throughout the full recovery process. 

 

How we'll help you succeed in TEAM:

PurpleLab provides Episodes of Care data and analytical services on the real-world evidence needed for providers to make decisions that optimize care, contain costs, and improve network performance. Customized to meet CMS requirements and tailored to the data applicable to your facility or system, PurpleLab's TEAM Episodes of Care are comprehensive data files that include: 

Treatment Summary

An overview of the episode(s) of care, capturing facility information, specific patterns of care, number of episodes and complications, clinical service lines, and various total charged amounts, within the CMS-defined episode window.

Treatment Services

A detailed view into the episode of care clinical service lines and encounter type, including information from the summary file (e.g., facility information, number of episodes and complications, total charged amounts)

Treatment Complications

A detailed view into the episode of care complication descriptions and codes, including information from the summary file (e.g., facility information, number of episodes and complications, total charged amounts)

Need to further understand your network leakage by HCP and HCO affiliations?

We have you covered. Ask about our Affiliations and Referrals add-ons, or consult directly with our analytics team.

Why PurpleLab?

Depth of Insights

Full visibility into the procedures/services and cost for an episode of care across affiliated and unaffiliated providers – from the start of an episode to 30-days post.

Flexibility and Scalability

Leveraging our existing EOC infrastructure, we can rapidly adapt to CMS requirements (i.e., any covered episode or other new bundled payment programs).

Timely Delivery

Real-time support for healthcare visibility and organizational planning. Data delivery with the most recent claims, minimizing data lag — delivery frequency, as needed.

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Check out our latest article!

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What Hospitals Need to Know About TEAM – CMS’s New Episode-Based Model

Starting January 1, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is rolling out a major new payment model called the Transforming Episode Accountability Model, or TEAM. This program will change how hospitals get paid for certain surgeries – and it’s something hospitals need to start preparing for now. Understanding what it is, who needs to participate and how to get ready is key, and PurpleLab is here to help.

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