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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is moving forward with a major overhaul of the Medicare accountable care organization program to boost enrollment and address health equity gaps.
As outlined in the final rule issued Tuesday, CMS will offer advance shared savings payments to low-revenue ACOs and allow longer periods of time for ACOs to become accustomed to accountable care before being liable for downside risk, all of which is expected to increase participation in rural and underserved areas, the agency said in a press release.
Under the new rule, an organization new to the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) that is not renewing or reentering as an ACO and qualifies as low revenue can get a one-time payment of $250,000 and quarterly payments for the first two years of a five-year period.