Newswise — Washington – Yesterday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released 2014 quality and financial performance results for Pioneer Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and participants in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Results reveal that Pioneer ACOs showed improvements in 28 of the 33 quality metrics, while Shared Savings participants improved on 27 of 33 quality measures.
• For program year 2014, savings of $341 million was shared with 92 Shared Savings ACOs, while 89 ACOs that reduced healthcare costs compared to their benchmark did not share in savings because they did not meet minimum savings requirements. • In the Pioneer ACO Program, 15 ACOs generated savings, with 4 of them not able to share in savings.
Many American Medical Group Association (AMGA) members remain at the forefront of value-based care and have been eager to embark on the ACO journey. These medical groups continue to make significant investments to improve the quality of health care for the Medicare beneficiaries they serve, but concerns remain about the operational and financial framework of the programs that prevent many ACOs from earning shared savings. AMGA has long advocated for improvements to the features of the program that will help reward ACOs for the important work they are doing to improve quality and reduce healthcare expenditures.
Donald W. Fisher, Ph.D., CAE, President and Chief Executive Officer of AMGA, stated today: “We appreciate the tremendous efforts our medical group members have made to improve the care for their Medicare patients through the Shared Savings Program and the Pioneer ACO Program. Some of them have been able to share in savings while improving patient care, while others, despite their significant investments in improved care processes and quality initiatives, have not realized any shared savings. These results point to the need for continued refinements to the ACO program framework, and AMGA is committed to working with CMS and Congress to pave the way for medical groups to succeed as ACOs.”
About AMGAThe American Medical Group Association is a 501(c)(6) trade association representing medical groups, health systems, and other organized systems of care, including some of the nation's largest, most prestigious integrated delivery systems. AMGA is a leading voice in advocating for efficient, team-based, and accountable care. AMGA members encompass all models of organized systems of care in the healthcare industry, including: physician-owned, independent group practices, integrated delivery systems, hospital-affiliated medical groups, independent practice associations (IPAs), academic and faculty practices, accountable care organizations, and high-performing health systems. More than 170,000 physicians practice in AMGA member organizations, providing healthcare services for 120 million patients (one in three Americans). Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, AMGA is the strategic partner for these organizations, providing a comprehensive package of benefits, including political advocacy, educational and networking programs, publications, benchmarking data services, and financial and operations assistance. www.amga.org
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