On August 26, leaders at the Downers Grove, Illinois- and Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Advocate Aurora Health posted a press release to the organization’s website announcing breakthrough results on the part of the integrated health system’s three federal accountable care organizations (ACOs.) As the press release stated, “Data released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) show…
Although accountable care organizations (ACOs) appear to be saving money for Medicare, they haven’t caught on as fast as proponents would like. As part of our occasional series of interviews with members of Congress, MedPage TodayWashington Editor Joyce Frieden spoke with Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) about her legislation to improve ACOs and encourage more physicians to sign up…
Value-based care has gained significant traction in the U.S. over the past few years, and for good reason. With healthcare costs outpacing income growth and health insurance deductibles increasing by 212% over the past decade, many patients are left feeling that their health insurance doesn’t provide as much value as it did 10 years ago….
There’s a strong possibility that Medicare will move to mandate value-based payment models (VBP) for the nursing home industry in the years to come, according to industry executives. Dr. René Lerer and Brian Cloch, CEOs for Longevity Health Plan and Transitional Care Management, respectively, spoke at a panel on the future of VBP models during…
Medicare ACO savings hit a record high, with accountable care organizations collectively saving Medicare $4.1 billion in 2020, according to a new report. The total savings, along with the $1.9 billion in net savings after accounting for shared savings payments, made 2020 the best year yet for the Medicare Shared Savings Program, report author National Association…
Accountable care organizations saved Medicare $4.1 billion in 2020 and nearly $2 billion after taking out shared savings, according to new federal data. The data, announced Wednesday by the National Association for Accountable Care Organizations (NAACOS), are an improvement over the $2.6 billion in shared savings they generated in 2019 and $1.9 billion after taking…
The Medicare Shared Savings Program collectively saved Medicare $4.1 billion last year and $1.9 billion after accounting for shared savings payments. It is the highest annual savings to date for the accountable care organization model that served 10.6 million seniors in 2020. The accountable care organizations had an average quality score of 97.8% and 60…
On Wednesday, Aug 25, leaders at the Washington, D.C.-based NAACOS—the National Association of ACOs—trumpeted the progress of accountable care organizations in saving money for the Medicare program, one day after joining eleven fellow national healthcare associations in pleading with members of Congress to include legislation supporting alternative payment model acceleration in upcoming federal legislation. On…
Keeping within expenditure limits is a top priority for most ACOs for Medicare. That makes sense. Savings are the main distinguishing feature of an ACO arrangement, as opposed to straight Fee-for-Service reimbursement. ACOs that accept downside risk can’t afford to exceed the expenditure target. It’s in their best interest to create initiatives to cut costs…
ACOs have zealously protected their favored status under Medicare Value-Based payment models, ensuring enough time for organizations to feel comfortable with financial risk and make investments in infrastructure. But if your own ACO is losing physicians to new equity-financed networks or to hospitals consolidating practices, more time does not help you. Primary care physicians are…