The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued quality and financial performance results showing that Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) have improved patient care and produced hundreds of millions of dollars in savings for the program.
In addition to providing more Americans with access to quality, affordable healthcare, the Affordable Care Act encourages doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers to work together to better coordinate care and keep people healthy rather than treat them when they are sick, which also helps to reduce healthcare costs. ACOs are one example of the innovative ways to improve care and reduce costs. In an ACO, providers who join these groups become eligible to share savings with Medicare when they deliver that care more efficiently.