Early investment fuels the hiring, training, and technology that bring this model to life faster. Philanthropic gifts are the catalyst for everything that follows: clinical readiness, biobanking, clear patient subsets for clinical trials, pilot launch, and ultimately, national replication.

Your support accelerates the speed in which we can bring this model to life—and builds a promise for discovery, care, and access that will shape the future of complex disease management across the country.

The initial pilot requires approximately $3–4 million to establish the infrastructure and training needed to bring the model to life. While the model can launch with as little as $500,000 in initial support, our goal is to build toward approximately $1.2 million to fully fund its first year of operations—covering patient evaluations, provider time, technology, and coordination across care teams.

But our vision doesn’t end there. Sustained philanthropic support will enable replication at additional sites and the creation of a national teaching consortium. In the long term, an endowed fund will ensure that this model, and the equitable care it delivers, remains accessible and scalable for years to come.

Instead of seeing patients only within one clinic, BHC’s model empowers local providers to deliver evidence-informed care using BHC’s multidisciplinary management plan, consult access, and educational materials. By serving as an interdisciplinary expert team, BHC offers local providers the specialized guidance needed to carry out comprehensive care “at home.” This approach bridges expert knowledge with hometown implementation—bringing informed, coordinated care to patients through their community-based clinicians.

The pilot phase is projected to launch in late 2026. We’re actively building the foundation now: training staff, developing protocols, and integrating digital tools to make this possible sooner. Every donation can help accelerate this timeline. 

Not yet. Patients can fill out our interest form and join our mailing list to receive updates when pilot enrollment opens. In the meantime, all existing BHC resources, including the Clinical Care Guide and education events, remain freely available.

Early investment fuels the hiring, training, and technology that bring this model to life faster. Philanthropic gifts are the catalyst for everything that follows: clinical readiness, biobanking, clear patient subsets for clinical trials, pilot launch, and ultimately, national replication.

Your support accelerates the speed in which we can bring this model to life—and builds the infrastructure for discovery, care, and equity that will shape the future of complex disease management across the country.

The Access to Care framework is designed around infection-associated chronic conditions (IACCs), including ME/CFS, Long COVID, dysautonomia, and related complex comorbidities. Its structure can later be replicated and adopted in medical and community centers across the country.

To create a teaching and replication-ready model—one that gives patients answers through accurate diagnosis and guided care, trains clinicians to deliver evidence-informed treatment, empowers patients with answers and guidance, and transforms how chronic illness care is delivered across the country.This model also strengthens our capacity to diversify biobanking efforts and support the development of new clinical trials.

The initial pilot will focus on adults with a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of ME/CFS, Long COVID, or a related infection-associated chronic condition (IACC). As the model scales, we’ll expand to include pediatric and additional complex chronic populations. The model is intentionally structured to include homebound and bedbound patients, ensuring that the most vulnerable are not left behind. 

The cost for patients will be determined by the amount of funding received for the Access to Care model. Our goal is to make it affordable for all patients. Every dollar counts. Please encourage others to support this work so we can reduce financial barriers for patients who urgently need care.

As of January 2025, BHC transitioned to a full cash-pay model. This allows us to provide timely, comprehensive care without the administrative barriers and limitations of insurance. The Access to Care program will also operate as a cash-pay, consultation-only model. This approach enables BHC to guide care across state lines without the legal constraints of multi-state licensure, while maintaining the highest standards of clinical oversight and expert consultation.Insurance reimbursement for consultative care is payer-dependent, and patients will be responsible for submitting any claims directly to their insurer.

If you’re able to travel to BHC, we prefer to do the physical therapy assessment and clinical evaluation in-person. However, if you are bedbound or homebound, you can still participate. In those cases, we partner with your local primary care provider or specialist, who performs the physical exam and orders any necessary labs—serving as our in-state extension.

This flexible model ensures that patients aren’t excluded because of geography or mobility. It’s part of BHC’s broader commitment to equitable access—meeting people where they are and bridging expert knowledge with hometown care.

You’ll receive a patient education session led by a physician with lived experience, focused on helping you and your caregiver understand the care management plan, including pacing, and practical application in daily life. 

Following the multidisciplinary evaluations your medical care will transition to a pathway such as:

• Your hometown medical provider who receives training and access to BHC’s peer-support network
• A nurse practitioner or physician participating in a national consortium of trained medical providers who can continue management with support from BHC
• Specialty clinic and concierge physicians committed to evidence-informed care
• Academic medical centers participating in Access to Care training pilots

All patient data will be protected under HIPAA standards and securely integrated into BHC’s research and quality-improvement systems only with patient consent.

Initially, the Access to Care Model will serve U.S. residents. However, BHC’s educational materials and training resources will remain freely available worldwide.

The care of current BHC patients will not change.

When the Access to Care Model launches, your existing practitioners are welcome to participate in the evaluation process and engage in our provider education forums. After a patient completes the model, their clinician will receive a comprehensive multidisciplinary care plan, along with the option for two paid peer-to-peer consultations with our providers. Any additional consultations beyond those two sessions will be billed separately.

Your gift supports staffing, training, patient education materials, digital infrastructure, and charitable support for those who cannot afford care. Every contribution helps shorten the time between concept and care—ensuring that equitable access remains at the heart of our mission.

While the model can begin with $500,000 in early support, our aim is to reach $1.25 million to sustain a full first year of operations. This funding level covers patient evaluations, provider time, technology, and coordinated care; enables us to hire affiliated practitioners who can relieve existing caseloads; and provides a modest pool for charitable care to ensure that patients with financial barriers are not excluded. Together, these elements create the stability needed to successfully launch and maintain the ATC model.

To carry out a full three-year pilot (Years 1–3), including implementation, evaluation, and refinement, we project a need of approximately $3–4 million. These resources will fund comprehensive outcomes measurement, continuous improvement of clinical protocols, stable staffing, and the groundwork needed to scale the model beyond its initial site.

In the long term, establishing an endowed fund will secure the model’s sustainability and ensure equitable access to care for all patients, regardless of income.

BHC has over two decades of experience caring for ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and (recently) Long COVID patients. With the largest longitudinal dataset in the field, and a proven record in education and translational research we are honored to build the Access to Care Model directly on that foundation for the benefit of patients worldwide.

The Access to Care Model is a clinical program designed to deliver informed, coordinated care while tracking patient outcomes over time. Through structured evaluations, mentor support, and training for local clinicians, we can follow patients longitudinally and better understand what improves function, stability, and quality of life.

Participation in research is always optional, but the model also creates more opportunities for patients who want to engage in biobanking projects or clinical trials at BHC. By integrating high-quality care with thoughtful data collection and research pathways, ATC strengthens our ability to advance both clinical practice and scientific discovery.

We are working to launch this pilot within an academic teaching center to rigorously evaluate outcomes, publish findings, and establish a scalable roadmap for national expansion.

Providers are invited to take part in the patient evaluation, attend our education and case-based learning forums, and collaborate with BHC mentors. Once a patient exits the model, you will receive a detailed care plan along with two paid peer-to-peer consultations to support ongoing management in your own practice.

Submit an interest form indicating your interest in joining our peer forums and we will connect with you directly.