NYAPRS Note: Healthcare reform’s call for improved and more affordable care has resulted in the growth of health homes, managed care coordination and Accountable Care Organizations, which are typically hospital or physician led networks of medical care that receive financial incentives to offer more effective and coordinated care for their patients. The following pieces trace the rapid growth of ACOs in NY and the US.
HHS Announces 89 New Accountable Care Organizations
2.4 Million People With Medicare To Receive Better, More Coordinated Care
HHS Release July 9, 2012
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today, that as of July 1, 89 new Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) began serving 1.2 million people with Medicare in 40 states and Washington, D.C. ACOs are organizations formed by groups of doctors and other health care providers that have agreed to work together to coordinate care for people with Medicare.
These 89 new ACOs have entered into agreements with CMS, taking responsibility for the quality of care they provide to people with Medicare in return for the opportunity to share in savings realized through high-quality, well-coordinated care.
“Better coordinated care is good for patients and it saves money,” said Secretary Sebelius. “We applaud every one of these doctors, hospitals, health centers and others for working together to ensure millions of people with Medicare get better, more patient-centered, coordinated care.”
Participation in an ACO is purely voluntary for providers. The Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), and other initiatives related to ACOs, is made possible by the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Federal savings from this initiative could be up to $940 million over four years.
“This new group of ACOs adds to a solid foundation,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. “The Medicare ACO program opened for business in January and, already, more than 2.4 million beneficiaries are receiving care from providers participating in these important initiatives.”
The 89 ACOs announced today bring the total number of organizations participating in Medicare shared savings initiatives to 154, including the 32 ACOs participating in the testing of the Pioneer ACO Model by CMS’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center) announced last December, and six Physician Group Practice Transition Demonstration organizations that started in January 2011. In all, as of July 1, more than 2.4 million beneficiaries are receiving care from providers participating in Medicare shared savings initiatives.
The selected ACOs operate in a wide range of areas of the country and almost half are physician-driven organizations serving fewer than 10,000 beneficiaries, demonstrating that smaller organizations are interested in operating as ACOs. Their models for coordinating care and improving quality vary in response to the needs of the beneficiaries in the areas they are serving.
To ensure that savings are achieved through improving care coordination and providing care that is appropriate, safe, and timely, an ACO must meet quality standards. For 2012, CMS has established 33 quality measures relating to care coordination and patient safety, appropriate use of preventive health services, improved care for at-risk populations, and patient and caregiver experience of care.
Beginning this year, new ACO applications will be accepted annually. The application period for organizations that wish to participate in the MSSP beginning in January 2013 is from Aug. 1 through Sept. 6, 2012. More information, including application requirements, is available at http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/sharedsavingsprogram/Application.html
My ACO Is Bigger
Crain’s Health Pulse July 12, 2012
Montefiore Medical Center debuted New York state’s first Accountable Care Organization when its Bronx Accountable Healthcare Network was approved in December with 22,000 Medicare beneficiaries and 2,600 doctors. Montefiore is the oldest ACO, but it may no longer be the largest. Mount Sinai Medical Center launched Manhattan’s first hospital-led ACO July 1. Though the final patient numbers aren’t yet official, it expects to have 26,000 Medicare recipients and a network of 1,300 doctors. The Mount Sinai ACO uses “care coaches embedded in physician practices” who monitor patient treatments and interact with family members, a hospital spokeswoman said. The goal is to keep patients healthier and out of the hospital. Mount Sinai President Kenneth Davis said better care will reduce avoidable readmissions. “We see the potential to curb the global problem of ever-increasing costs,” Dr. Davis said. At Montefiore Medical Center, Chief Executive Steven Safyer said the numbers are not a meaningful comparison because the two hospitals have different ACO structures. “But we are excited and heartened that Mount Sinai is doing this,” he said. “This is what hospitals should be doing.”
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20120712/PULSE/120719965
SUMMARIES OF ACOS SELECTED FOR JULY 1, 2012 START DATE
AzPCP ACO, located in Chandler, Arizona, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 73 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Arizona.
John C. Lincoln Accountable Care Organization, LLC, located in Phoenix, Arizona, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, and hospitals employing ACO professionals. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Arizona.
Fort Smith Physicians Alliance ACO, LLC, located in Fort Smith, Arkansas is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 78 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
ApolloMed Accountable Care Organization Inc., located in Glendale, California, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 130 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in California.
Golden Life Healthcare LLC, located in Sacramento, California, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices and partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 57 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in California.
John Muir Physician Network, located in Walnut Creek, California, is comprised of ACO group practices and networks of individual ACO practices, with 197 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in California.
Meridian Holdings, Inc., located in Hawthorne, California, is comprised of ACO group practices and networks of individual ACO practices, with 60 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in California, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.
North Coast Medical ACO, Inc., located in Oceanside, California, is comprised of ACO group practices, hospitals employing ACO professionals, and a federally qualified health center, with 281 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in California.
Torrance Memorial Integrated Physicians, LLC, located in Torrance, California, is comprised of partnerships between a hospital and ACO professionals, with 398 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in California.
MPS ACO Physicians, LLC, located in Middletown, Connecticut, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 38 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Connecticut.
PriMed, LLC, located in Shelton, Connecticut, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 116 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Connecticut.
Accountable Care Coalition of Northwest Florida, LLC, located in Pensacola, Florida, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 60 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Alabama and Florida.
Accountable Care Partners, LLC, located in Jacksonville, Florida, is comprised of ACO group practices and networks of individual ACO practices, with 65 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Florida and Georgia.
Allcare Options, LLC, located in Parrish, Florida, is comprised of ACO group practices and networks of individual ACO practices, with 198 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Florida.
Florida Medical Clinic ACO, LLC, located in Zephyrhills, Florida, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 153 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Florida.
FPG Healthcare, LLC, located in Orlando, Florida, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 142 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Florida.
HealthNet LLC, located in Boynton Beach, Florida, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 55 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Florida.
Integrated Care Alliance, LLC, located in Gainesville, Florida, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 115 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Florida.
Medical Practitioners for Affordable Care, LLC, located in Melbourne, Florida, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 126 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Florida.
Palm Beach Accountable Care Organization, LLC, located in West Palm Beach, Florida, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 337 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Florida.
Reliance Healthcare Management Solutions, LLC, located in Tampa, Florida, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 36 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Florida.
WellStar Health Network, LLC, located in Marietta, Georgia, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 1,203 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Georgia.
Advocate Health Partners, located in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 2,237 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Illinois.
Chicago Health System ACO, LLC, located in Westmont, Illinois, is comprised of ACO group practices, networks of individual ACO practices, partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, hospitals employing ACO professionals, and federally qualified health centers, with 523 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Illinois.
Deaconess Care Integration, LLC, located in Evansville, Indiana, is comprised of ACO group practices, networks of individual ACO practices, partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals and a hospital employing ACO professionals, and a rural health clinic, with 323 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky.
Franciscan AHN ACO, LLC, located in Mishawaka, Indiana, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 245 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Indiana.
Indiana University Health ACO, Inc., located in Indianapolis, Indiana, is comprised of ACO group practices, networks of individual ACO practices, partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals and hospitals employing ACO professionals, and a federally qualified health center, with 1,837 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Indiana.
Genesis Accountable Care Organization, LLC, located in Davenport, Iowa, is comprised of hospitals employing ACO professionals, with 312 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Illinois and Iowa.
Iowa Health Accountable Care, L.C., located in Des Moines, Iowa, is comprised of ACO group practices, networks of individual ACO practices, a combination of hospitals employing ACO professionals, a federally qualified health center and a rural health clinic, with 1,551 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri.
One Care LLC, located in Des Moines, Iowa, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 402 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Iowa.
University of Iowa Affiliated Health Providers, LC, located in Iowa City, Iowa, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 1,791 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Iowa.
Owensboro ACO, located in Owensboro, Kentucky, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 26 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Indiana and Kentucky.
Quality Independent Physicians, located in Louisville, Kentucky, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 74 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Indiana and Kentucky.
Southern Kentucky Health Care Alliance, located in Smiths Grove, Kentucky, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 35 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Kentucky.
TP-ACO LLC located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 50 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Florida, Louisiana and Tennessee.
Central Maine ACO, located in Lewiston, Maine, is comprised of ACO group practices, networks of individual ACO practices and partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, including a combination of hospitals employing ACO professionals. It includes 566 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Maine.
Maine Community Accountable Care Organization, LLC, located in Augusta, Maine, is a federally qualified health center with 125 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Maine.
MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization, located in Portland, Maine, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals and hospitals employing ACO professionals, with 1,595 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Maine.
Accountable Care Coalition of Maryland, LLC, located in Hollywood, Maryland, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 109 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Maryland.
Greater Baltimore Health Alliance Physicians, LLC, located in Baltimore, Maryland, is comprised of partnerships between a hospital and ACO professionals and a hospital employing ACO professionals, with 399 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Maryland Accountable Care Organization of Eastern Shore LLC, located in National Harbor, Maryland, is comprised of ACO group practices, networks of individual ACO practices, with 61 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Maryland.
Maryland Accountable Care Organization of Western MD LLC, located in National Harbor, Maryland, is comprised of ACO group practices and networks of individual ACO practices, with 23 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Circle Health Alliance, LLC, located in Lowell, Massachusetts, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 353 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Harbor Medical Associates, PC, located in South Weymouth, Massachusetts, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 116 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Massachusetts.
Accountable Healthcare Alliance, PC, located in East Lansing, Michigan, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 29 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Michigan.
Oakwood Accountable Care Organization, LLC, located in Dearborn, Michigan, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 1,546 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Michigan.
Southeast Michigan Accountable Care, Inc., located in Dearborn, Michigan, is comprised of ACO group practices and networks of individual ACO practices, with 333 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Michigan
Essential Health, located in Duluth, Minnesota, is comprised of a combination of ACO group practices, critical access hospitals, and a rural health clinic, with 1,404 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Medical Mall Services of Mississippi, located in Jackson, Mississippi, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices and a federally qualified health center, with 487 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Mississippi.
BJC HealthCare ACO, LLC, located in St. Louis, Missouri, is comprised of a combination of hospitals employing ACO professionals, and rural health clinics, with 556 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Illinois and Missouri.
Heartland Regional Medical Center, located in St. Joseph, Missouri, is comprised of a hospital employing ACO professionals, with 199 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Kansas and Missouri.
Nevada Primary Care Network ACO, LLC, located in Las Vegas, Nevada, is comprised of ACO group practices and networks of individual ACO practices, with 89 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Nevada.
Concord Elliot ACO LLC, located in Manchester, New Hampshire, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 234 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in New Hampshire.
Barnabas Health ACO-North, LLC, located in West Orange, New Jersey, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, hospitals employing ACO professionals, with 435 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in New Jersey.
Accountable Care Coalition of Syracuse, LLC, located in Syracuse, New York, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 105 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in New York.
Asian American Accountable Care Organization, located in New York City, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 239 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in New York.
Balance Accountable Care Network, located in New York City, is comprised of hospitals and networks of individual ACO practices, with 1,069 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in New York.
Beacon Health Partners, LLP, located in Manhasset, New York, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 261 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in New York.
Chautauqua Region Associated Medical Partners, LLC, located in Jamestown, New York, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 35 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in New York and Pennsylvania.
Healthcare Provider ACO, Inc., located in Garden City, New York, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 395 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in New York.
Mount Sinai Care, LLC, located in New York City, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices and a hospital(s) employing ACO professionals, with 2,249 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in New York.
ProHEALTH Accountable Care Medical Group, PLLC, located in Lake Success, New York, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 281 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in New York.
WESTMED Medical Group, PC, located in Purchase, New York, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 250 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Connecticut and New York.
Cornerstone Health Care, PA, located in High Point, North Carolina, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 313 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in North Carolina.
Triad Healthcare Network, LLC, located in Greensboro, North Carolina, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices and a hospital employing ACO professionals, with 759 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in North Carolina.
Mercy Health Select, LLC, located in Cincinnati, Ohio, is comprised of hospitals employing ACO professionals, with 365 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Indiana and Ohio.
ProMedica Physician Group, Inc., located in Toledo, Ohio, is comprised of ACO group practices and networks of individual ACO practices, with 250 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Michigan and Ohio.
Summa Accountable Care Organization, located in Akron, Ohio, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 612 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Ohio.
University Hospitals Coordinated Care, located in Shaker Heights, Ohio, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 1,770 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Ohio.
North Bend Medical Center, Inc., located in Coos Bay, Oregon, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 112 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Oregon.
Coastal Medical, Inc., located in Providence, Rhode Island, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 100 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Accountable Care Coalition of The Tri-Counties, LLC, located in Charleston, South Carolina, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 108 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in South Carolina.
AnewCare LLC, located in Johnson City, Tennessee, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 673 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Tennessee and Virginia.
Cumberland Center for Healthcare Innovation, LLC, located in Nashville, Tennessee, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 33 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Tennessee.
MissionPoint Health Partners, located in Nashville, Tennessee, is comprised of hospitals employing ACO professionals, with 544 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Tennessee.
St. Thomas Medical Group PLLC, located in Nashville, Tennessee, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 41 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Tennessee.
Summit Health Solutions, located in Knoxville, Tennessee, is comprised of hospitals and ACO group practices, with 220 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Tennessee.
BHS Accountable Care, LLC, located in San Antonio, Texas, is comprised of ACO group practices, networks of individual ACO practices, partnerships between a hospital and ACO professionals and a hospital employing ACO professionals, with 348 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Texas.
Memorial Hermann Accountable Care Organization, located in Houston, Texas, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices and partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 332 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Texas.
Methodist Patient Centered ACO, located in Dallas, Texas, is comprised of ACO group practices, networks of individual ACO practices and partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 269 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Texas.
Essential Care Partners, LLC, located in Austin, Texas, is a federally qualified health center with 275 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Texas.
Physicians ACO, LLC, located in Houston, Texas, is comprised of networks of individual ACO practices, with 75 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Texas.
Texoma ACO, LLC, located in Wichita Falls, Texas is comprised of ACO group practices and networks of individual ACO practices, with 52 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Texas.
Central Utah Clinic, P.C., located in Provo, Utah, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 173 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Utah.
Accountable Care Coalition of Green Mountains, LLC, located in South Burlington, Vermont, is comprised of ACO group practices and networks of individual ACO practices, with 42 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Vermont.
Polyclinic Management Services Company, located in Seattle, Washington, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 296 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Washington.
Aurora Accountable Care Organization LLC, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is comprised of ACO group practices, with 275 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Wisconsin.
Dean Clinic and St. Mary’s Hospital Accountable Care Organization, LLC, located in Madison, Wisconsin, is comprised of ACO group practices and a partnership between a hospital and ACO professionals, with 701 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Wisconsin.
ProHealth Solutions, LLC, located in Waukesha, Wisconsin, is comprised of partnerships between hospitals and ACO professionals, with 697 physicians. It will serve Medicare beneficiaries in Wisconsin.
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20120712/PULSE/120719965#ixzz20P1L1BBt