ACO Update
This is Sarah Kliff:
The results of the Accountable Care Organizations’ first year, released last year, are a bit difficult to interpret. All the hospitals did show success in improving on quality measures, rates of re-admissions and monitoring of cholesterol levels.
On the other, 14 failed to produce any cost savings ― and nearly a third of them also decided to stop participating in the program. Seven switched a different, less aggressive Medicare program, while two dropped out altogether…
I’ve spent the past few days talking to the ACO dropouts, trying to understand what didn’t work for them and why they went a different path. I tended to hear variations on a theme: They liked the idea of value-based care and still plan to pursue it. They just didn’t see this much-touted federal program as the best way forward. With so many different experiments in the hopper right now, something had to give.
“They liked the idea of value-based care and still plan to pursue it. They just didn’t see this much-touted federal program as the best way forward.”
They are just articulating what everyone is thinking.
Not exactly, they were actually in two programs at the same time.
“We had to maintain two different databases, and two different contacts at Medicare. In the end, we decided we would move out of the pioneer program.”
and
“After a year, it seemed like a waste of resources to participate in two federal demonstrations. So, for year two, they’ll merge their ACO demonstration into the already existing MSSP.”
Check yourself August, those were only two of the groups.
“Seven of the nine hospitals that left the Pioneer ACO program transitioned to the Medicare Shared Savings Program, generally seen as a smaller, less aggressive step toward reforming health payments.”
Well not exactly everyone.
Good news about the quality improving. The hard part is weighing the costs
It’s always hard to implement something so big, so naturally there will be those who don’t fit in the mold or are skeptical.
“On the other, 14 failed to produce any cost savings”
Wow, that is almost half.
“After a year, it seemed like a waste of resources to participate in two federal demonstrations. So, for year two, they’ll merge their ACO demonstration into the already existing MSSP.”
Not completely.
Improving quality is imperative. Finding the best way to do is the hard part.
Same song, different verse — or is that the chorus?
Good to hear that a good news, a new beginning of improving the care service to all people that really needed company your services. Keep it up and congratulations. MyHealthcareExecutive