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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
"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."
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.