Accountable care organizations (ACOs) aim to improve healthcare quality for patients while reducing costs. Even as healthcare providers have operated in an unstable industry for the past few years, ACO programs have continued to achieve shared savings and promote the shift to value-based care. Programs like the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) and Direct Contracting—soon…
A team of healthcare policy researchers has looked at efforts to advance health equity in eight different nations, and found some potentially helpful lessons for leaders in the U.S. healthcare system who are attempting to do the same. In a blog published to the website of the New York City-based Commonwealth Fund and entitled “Advancing…
Many healthcare experts consider value-based care as a key step toward improved health outcomes and lower costs, but adoption has been slow. Research from Insights by Xtelligent Healthcare Media indicates that organizations moving to value-based care benefit from robust data analytics capabilities and support to fuel the move away from fee-for-service reimbursement. These efforts can…
Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) will continue to grow its home health segment. The company’s leaders made that – and other plans – clear during its investor meeting Thursday. “Our focus on sustained growth and operational efficiency has driven strong year-over-year performance and a positive long-term outlook,” Andy Agwunobi, president of Humana’s home solutions business, said during…
In February 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced ACO REACH, extending the Direct Contracting model to better align with CMS’ strategic initiatives. In this new model, CMS introduced many significant changes to achieve the goals, after which REACH is named – Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health. Specifically, CMS implemented five…
It is early 2018, and Cigna announced its acquisition of Express Scripts, CVS Health recently announced its acquisition of Aetna, Humana its 40% ownership stake in Kindred[1], and Optum recently announced its DaVita Medical Group (formerly HealthCare Partners) acquisition. It was a mad rush to find assets or become buyer targets for each of the…
Accountable care organizations are urging Congress to extend a dependable bonus payment to physicians that has been used to improve quality of care, advocates say. The 5% payment supports participants in alternative payment models who meet quality goals, and is set to expire in 2023. The money goes directly to physicians, incentivizing them to join…
Download Slides Challenges around time, money and transportation can have a noticeable impact on a wide range of health risks and the outcomes associated with those risks. In the fight against diabetic retinopathy, shared care programs that address these challenges head-on can make a difference. Join us to discuss a real-life example of a…
In 2019, 48 percent of Medicare-Medicaid dual-eligible beneficiaries identified as being from a racially/ethnically minoritized group, while only 21.6 percent of Medicare-only beneficiaries were from racially/ethnically minoritized groups. Since 2006 the percent of dual-eligible beneficiaries from racially/ethnically minoritized groups has grown by 19.2 percent, and we can expect this growth to continue as our population…
Medicare’s Shared Savings Program (MSSP) saved CMS $1.66 billion in 2021, marking the fifth consecutive year of overall savings for the program; however, savings from performance year 2021 represent a decline from 2020, when ACOs saved Medicare $1.9 billion. The 475 participating ACOs compromising half a million clinicians provided service to 11,000,000 Medicare patients, with…