Medicare ACOs, including Maryland Collaborative Care, Continue to Improve Quality of Care, Generate Shared Savings

BALTIMORE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued 2014 quality and
financial performance results showing that more Medicare Accountable
Care Organizations (ACOs) continue to generate financial savings while
improving the quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries by fostering
greater collaboration between doctors, hospitals, and health care
providers.

When an ACO demonstrates that it has achieved high-quality care and
effectively reducing spending of health care dollars above certain
thresholds, it is able to share in the savings generated for Medicare.
In 2014, 20 Pioneer and 333 Shared Savings Program ACOs generated more
than $411 million in savings, which includes all ACOs savings and
losses. The results also show that ACOs with more experience in the
program tend to perform better over time.

Medicare ACOs are groups of doctors, hospitals, and other health care
providers, who come together voluntarily to provide coordinated high
quality care to their Medicare patients. The goal of coordinated care is
to ensure that patients, especially the chronically ill, get the right
care at the right time, while avoiding unnecessary duplication of
services and preventing medical errors. When an ACO exceeds quality and
financial thresholds – demonstrating achievement of high-quality care
and wiser spending of health care dollars – it is able to share in the
savings generated for Medicare.

Maryland Collaborative Care (MCC) is one of the ACOs that generated
shared savings.

Dr. Rosie Singh, an ACO physician participant from Montgomery Family
Medicine Associates, said she is pleased that the ACO generated over
$4.5 million in shared savings. “We are encouraged to see the positive
impact that our providers are making in their communities as they
embrace care coordination and the transition to value-based care,” Dr.
Singh said. “We are pleased with our 2014 results, which demonstrate
that high quality care can be provided while lowering costs, and we are
honored to be in the top 20 ACOs with shared savings.”

For more detailed quality and financial results, click
here.

Additional Resources

Visit the Medicare
Shared Savings Program News and Updates webpage to access the HHS
press release and fact sheet, the link to the Performance Year 2014
results file, and to learn more about the program.

Contacts

Rachael Susaneck, 202-585-2037