An accountable care organization is a group of health care providers with collective responsibility for patient care that helps providers coordinate services—delivering high-quality care while holding down costs.
The theory behind ACOs is that well-coordinated care can improve health care quality while decreasing duplication of services, reducing the risk of errors and complications, and lowering costs. This brief provides an overview of ACOs.
Will this new approach to health care delivery live up to the dual promises of reducing costs and improving quality? This Health Policy Brief provides an overview of ACOs, their origins, and the current status of adoption by Medicare and private health insurance plans.
In this Health Affairs article, authors propose a new approach to help achieve more integrated and efficient care by fostering local organizational accountability for quality and cost through performance measurement and “shared savings” payment reform.
ACOs are designed to transform how health care is delivered by sharing financial awards among providers if they realize savings in health care spending. This review published in the BNA Health Care Policy Report takes a look at regulatory policy statements related to the Medicare Shared Savings Program.
RWJF provided formal comments to CMS on the proposed rule for the new Medicare Shared Savings Program for ACOs. These comments included the recommendation to look to existing regional alliances as key partners in payment reform for a given market.
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There is widespread agreement that the current method of paying for health care is broken. Learn how RWJF is testing new payment innovation models with the goal of managing costs and increasing quality.
July 2, 2013 | Issue Brief
This brief explores models for payment reform, national developments and what some communities are doing to pilot payment reform initiatives.
November 21, 2011 | Journal Article
The revised Medicare Shared Savings Program makes concessions and compromises to encourage a fundamental effort at health system change.
January 31, 2012 | Issue Brief
Medicare is experiencing a new form of accountability with the establishment of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), networks of physicians and providers who earn annual bonuses for containing costs and delivering quality care to their patients.
June 6, 2011 | Presentation Material
Recommendations for a more accountable future in American health care.
June 10, 2009 | Video/Presentation Material
Experts in the field of health care payment discuss a variety of solutions to correct widespread deficiencies and increase value in our health care system.
May 16, 2011 | Story
This article discusses the legal framework of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that created accountable care organizations (ACOs). ACOs are corporate entities that will generate savings for health care providers by promoting efficiency and improving performance.