Tag: Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)
CMS: Shared Savings Program reaps savings
October 30, 2024HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – CMS says the Medicare Shared Savings Program yielded more than $2.1 billion in net savings in 2023 — the largest savings in the program’s history. “Accountable Care Organizations in the Medicare Shared Savings Program continue to deliver high-quality health care for people with Medicare and meaningful savings for the Medicare program,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “CMS continues to improve the Medicare Shared Savings Program for the...
CMS announces ACO initiatives
January 18, 2023HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – CMS has announced that three innovative accountable care initiatives will grow and provide higher quality care to more than 13.2 million people with Medicare in 2023. More than 700,000 health care providers and organizations will participate in at least one of the three initiatives: the Medicare Shared Savings Program; the Accountable Care Organization Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (ACO REACH) Model; and the Kidney Care Choices (KCC) Model. This growth furthers...
Quality care model pegged as 'new frontier'
October 24, 2017Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
ATLANTA - As health care continues its shift from a quantity to quality care model, there's no simple answer as to how DME providers can make sure they're part of the picture, said attorneys at Medtrade on Monday.
“(Accountable care organizations) are like a Rubix cube—it's really complicated to put together,” said Matthew Agnew, an attorney with Polsinelli, during the session, “Establishing Referral Arrangements with Hospitals and Physicians through Quality...
CMS releases performance results for ACOs
September 19, 2014HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Pioneer ACO Model and Medicare Shared Savings Program generated more than $372 million in savings in their second and first years, respectively, CMS reported Sept. 16.
The Pioneer ACOs generated estimated total savings of more than $96 million and qualified for shared savings payments of $68 million. They saved the Medicare Trust Fund about $41 million.
Broken down, 11 Pioneer ACOs earned shared savings, three generated shared losses...
Provider flips ACO model
August 8, 2014Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WESTMINSTER, Md. - HME provider Randy Weston wants to break the mold of the traditional accountable care organization (ACO) model.
Although most models are physician or hospital based, he is developing an ACO based on ancillary services, such as HME, pharmacy, nursing and lab testing. The ACO, called Valley ACO, was recently approved by Medicare.
“We think by flipping it upside down we will be successful and more flexible,” said Weston, CEO of Mobility Rehabilitation Products and...
AAHomecare appoints new manager of regulatory affairs
May 6, 2013HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - AAHomecare has hired Heather Boyd to be its new manager of regulatory affairs, according to a bulletin from the organization. Boyd has six years of experience with healthcare policy, focusing specifically on Medicare regulations. She has researched and analyzed numerous healthcare issues, including accountable care organizations (ACOs), for the American Medical Directors Association, Women in Government, and the National Chain Drugstore Association. Boyd will officially join AAHomecare...
Act now on ACOs
March 22, 2013Elizabeth Deprey
Due to the rapid growth of accountable care organizations (ACOs), HME providers can't afford to wait until all the details are ironed out before they join in the fray, stakeholders say. “ACOs represent a significant portion of the market share now, and they're the fastest growing portion,” said Greg Shockey, managing member of Accountable Care Expos, which provides opportunities for stakeholders throughout the healthcare continuum to network and share information. “The numbers...
ACOs: Familiarize yourself with obstacles
February 25, 2013Carla Hogan
A. By January 2013, 250 Accountable Care Organizations were approved by CMS serving an estimated 4 million Medicare beneficiaries. These ACOs are located across the country with approximately 20% serving low-income and rural communities. Roughly half of all ACOs serve less than 10,000 beneficiaries. As the acceptance of ACOs increases and more receive approval, the unique hurdles become clearer.
There are several common considerations, including a substantial financial commitment for both...
ACOs: Understand, comply with ACO waivers
January 25, 2013Carla Hogan
A. ACOs were created to coordinate care for patients, improve outcomes and reduce medical costs. ACOs achieve those goals through financial incentives, referrals and information sharing—all actions that would generally violate federal fraud and abuse laws if not for waivers authorized by CMS. The five waivers do not require filing or submitting applications.The five waivers are:• A pre-participation waiver, which applies to ACOs that are preparing an application to participate in the Shared...
ACOs: Work within an integrated network
December 28, 2012Carla Hogan
A. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, healthcare news was flooded with stories of HME providers tirelessly caring for their patients during the storm. HME providers kept their patients out of emergency rooms and safe at home—an invaluable service for the patients and the healthcare community at large. As we reflect on the triumphs of the HME providers, we are in the midst of growing ACO coverage and it seems that HME emergency effectiveness can only improve with the participation in ACOs.ACOs...