Official Version of CMS Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Rule Now Available
As discussed in our April 1 Special ACO Regulatory Update, CMS released major rules on March 31, 2011 to implement the new Medicare Shared Savings Program under the ACA. The program is intended to encourage physicians, hospitals, and certain other types of providers and suppliers to form ACOs to provide cost-effective, coordinated care to Medicare beneficiaries. An ACO that meets established quality and performance standards and surpasses a minimum savings target will be able to share a percentage of savings (in additional to traditional fee-for-service payments under Medicare Parts A and B). The official version of the rule was published April 7.
