By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: 89 New ACOs in the MSSP – iHT2 Special Report
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Global Healthcare > 89 New ACOs in the MSSP – iHT2 Special Report
Global Healthcare

89 New ACOs in the MSSP – iHT2 Special Report

Institute for Health Technology Transformation
Institute for Health Technology Transformation
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

By: Jessica Green

By: Jessica Green

As part of The Affordable Care Act, Congress outlined a new healthcare system, Accountable Care Organizations (ACO).  An ACO is a group of healthcare providers that share patient information in order to reduce mistakes and repetition of paperwork or tests, thereby lowering cost and improving the focus on the health of the patient.  In order to become an ACO, a group of physicians must agree to care for at least 5,000 Medicare beneficiaries for a period of at least three years (Gold, 2012).  The government has offered ACOs a portion of the money if they succeed in generating savings and in meeting 33 quality benchmarks under the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP).  Previously, under the Medicare fee-for-service program, physicians were paid for each service they provided to a Medicare patient.  The more tests and treatments a physician ordered, the more money they got paid (Accountable Care Organizations, 2012).  While the fee-for-service program is still running, MSSP is meant to lessen the likelihood of unnecessary or duplicate tests and treatments.  Jenny Gold of Kaiser Health News says, “In other words, providers would get paid more for keeping their patients healthy and out of the hospitals” (Gold).

New Updates:

More Read

Who Will Spend the New Money for Family Planning?
Car Crashes Into Radiology Center At Massachusetts Hospital
What Will 5G Mean For Healthcare?
Dissatisfaction with Billing Companies Starts with Lack of Clarity of What is Expected
How to Secure Data in Healthcare

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services chose 89 new ACOs on July 1, 2012.  These new ACOs will provide care for 1.2 million Medicare beneficiaries in 40 states.  The ACO and MSSP started with 32 Pioneer ACOs in December 2011 and six Physician Group Practice Transition Demonstration organizations in January 2012.  In April 2012, 27 more were added.  This makes a total of 154 ACOs across the country covering 2.4 million Medicare beneficiaries (Accountable).  “This new group of ACOs adds to a solid foundation,” says Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius predicts that this total number will save the Federal government $960 million over the next four years (Gold).  Five of the new 89 ACOs applied to earn a higher share of the savings by also sharing in any losses if they do not succeed in lowering costs (Accountable).

Download the full report

TAGGED:ACAaccountable care organizationsACOAffordable Care ActCMScongressDemographic HospitalsHealth IThealthcare systemhospitalsiHT2iHT2 ReportsiHT2 Special ReportInstitute for Health Technology TransformationJessica GreenMedicare Shared Savings ProgramMSSPPrivate SectorPublic Sectorreports
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

dental care
Importance of Good Dental Care for Health and Confidence
Dental health Specialties
October 2, 2025
AI in Healthcare
AI in Healthcare: Technology is Transforming the Global Landscape
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
October 1, 2025
Choosing the Right Swimwear for Health and Safety
News
September 30, 2025
sports concussions
Concussion In Sports: How Common They Are And What You Need To Know
Infographics
September 28, 2025

You Might also Like

The ACA has put patients at the center of healthcare services. A patient-centric healthcare approach in this digital era means a revised definition of quality in the physician-patient relationship. When it comes to healthcare services, patients shell out a hefty amount from their pocket and want nothing less than the best. The services in healthcare are no longer limited to just cost as consumers now evaluate quality and experience in the same equation. Research highlights from the 2015 Healthcare Consumer Trends by National Research Corporation states that reputation in healthcare matters more to consumers when choosing a brand than any other industry, e.g. hospitality, retail, airline, etc. The new generation of quality measurements in healthcare require a different mind-set and a different 'toolbox' to handle the hurdles. It’s the need of the hour for healthcare providers and others across the healthcare value chain to adopt the patient-centric approach for surviving in the vast competitive ocean of healthcare services. Patient-centric care is an approach that develops through effective communication, empathy and a positive physician-patient relationship. The primary purpose is to improve patient care outcomes and satisfaction and to reduce patient symptoms and unnecessary costs. It’s a win-win situation for both physicians and patients. While healthcare providers are able to support their patients in becoming more compliant with treatment and management of their conditions/diseases, patients feel more satisfied with the care that they are receiving. PwC’s Health Research Institute’s annual report 2016 states that health systems should keep an eye on the consumer experience as they expand and extend. More partnerships and more caregivers could mean confusion for patients and poor customer experiences. To differentiate their practice among competitors, patient satisfaction can be used as a competitive distinguishing factor. Although patient satisfaction cannot really provide tangible benefits, but an experience that exceeds patient expectations for what a practice/hospital can provide is very important as it creates loyal patients who return for future health needs and refer their family and friends. Happy and satisfied patients are a secret marketing weapon for healthcare providers, whether they are physicians, dentists, physiotherapists or hospitals. Your patients are the new-age digital health decision-makers. In this era of Internet and social media, they now have multichannel access to information related to health. Needless to mention, they have gained new power to make their decisions; whether it’s choosing a healthcare provider or referring a physician to family and friends. By converting your satisfied patients to be your brand advocates, you can capitalize and use their voice as an effective marketing strategy to reach out to many other potential patients. To strive and thrive, in the U.S. many healthcare organizations are applying patient-centric approaches to healthcare. It’s all about what matters to patients, so it makes a lot of sense for the healthcare industry to place patients' healthcare experience at the center of their policies and procedures. The best deliverables are a combination of great communication for a positive physician-patient relationship, disciplined measurement and analysis of patient feedback and commitment to technology innovation – the formula for improving patient engagement and care.
BusinessHealth ReformWellness

The Link Between Patient Satisfaction and Long-Lasting Relationships

April 28, 2016

Bacteriophages: A Ray of Hope in the Fight against Antibacterial Resistance?

September 29, 2015
Understanding the Legal Aspects of Wrongful Death in Healthcare
Global Healthcare

Understanding the Legal Aspects of Wrongful Death in Healthcare

January 15, 2025

Healthcare Communication Industry Tests New Offerings as Health Care Reform Evolves

August 3, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?