Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Medicare Gives ACOs More Options, Greater Flexibility In Bid To Keep Them
Modern Healthcare: Medicare Vies To Keep ACOs On Board With Flexible Rules
More flexibility is coming for Medicare accountable care organizations under a final rule the CMS published Thursday. The revisions are intended to strike a balance between maintaining the program's rigor and making sure providers continue to participate. The Medicare Shared Savings Program will offer a new track to take on more financial risk of patient care, and it will allow Medicare ACOs to avoid penalties beyond the initial three-year term. The CMS will also issue future guidance on benchmarking and rebasing issues that have been sources of contention for many providers. (Herman, 6/4)
CQ Healthbeat: CMS Proposes New Path For Shared Savings With ACOs
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Thursday said it had modified the financial incentives for hospitals and physician practices to join in accountable care organizations -- entities created by the 2010 health care law to promote more efficient care. A new final rule adds an option, known as Track 3, that can offer higher rates of shared savings, the prospective assignment of beneficiaries and the opportunity to use new care coordination tools, CMS said in a press release. (Young, 6/4)
