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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August 8, 2013 | Journal Article
Small and medium-size physician practices may lack the resources to implement health information technology and organized care management processes.
October 9, 2012 | Issue Brief
Insurers and regulators worry that Accountable Care Organizations could reduce competition and drive up prices for Medicare patients.
December 1, 2011 | Issue Brief
ACOs represent a significant shift from a health care payment system that largely rewards volume of services, rather than value.
November 21, 2011 | Journal Article
The revised Medicare Shared Savings Program makes concessions and compromises to encourage a fundamental effort at health system change.
June 6, 2011 | Presentation Material
Recommendations for a more accountable future in American health care.
April 12, 2011 | Commentary
RWJF President and CEO Risa Lavizzo-Mourey delivered the address in April 2011.
July 27, 2010 | Issue Brief
The Affordable Care Act authorizes Medicare to contract with accountable care organizations, networks of physicians and other providers that would work together to improve quality of health care services and reduce costs for patients.
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.
June 1, 2011 | Journal Article
Today's strategy for improving the health care system, accountable care organizations (ACOs) shift economic responsibility from insurers to physicians. This review points out the clear distinction between ACOs and the managed care system of the 1990s.
January 19, 2011 | Commentary
Short hospital stays, rehospitalizations and transitions among health care settings have become increasingly common. Financial policy changes should be implemented to incentivize longer hospital stays and better-coordinated post-discharge care.