ACOs Find Traction In Medicaid
CQ HealthBeat: ACO-Type Models Growing In Medicaid
For the past couple of years, health policy makers have been developing new ways of delivering care in Medicare, most notably accountable-care organizations. But less attention has been given to similar models that are a growing trend in Medicaid. Within the next week or so, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation is expected to announce a round of "innovation awards" that could support Medicaid demonstration projects that test out methods of coordinating care in a manner similar to accountable-care organizations (ACOs). Medicare ACOs require medical providers to coordinate care for patients. They then share in any savings from this new model of care and, depending on the amount of risk a group is willing to assume, they could face penalties for not meeting savings goals (Adams, 6/5).