The Commonwealth Fund reprints an intriguing article from Congressional Quarterly about how several of the nation’s leading healthcare institutions are not planning to participate as accountable care organizations.
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The Commonwealth Fund reprints an intriguing article from Congressional Quarterly about how several of the nation’s leading healthcare institutions are not planning to participate as accountable care organizations.
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The news arrived just as a study was released by the American Hospital Association reporting that the cost of getting an ACO off the ground could be many times what HHS has previously estimated.
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CQ reports that the institutions in question — the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Geisinger Health System and Intermountain Healthcare — seem to agree that the ACO concept is a good one, but that the law contains obstacles that make it problematic for them to sign up.
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After the issue was raised, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services were quick to signal anew a desire to work with the dissenting organizations to address their concerns.
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“We will take the comments very seriously,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “It is a proposed rule, so we’re listening closely to healthcare providers, to hospital groups.”
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In the months to come, C-Suite Conversations will take a closer look at ACOs. Please give us your feedback on this issue with far-reaching implications for leaders.
