AHA today recommended specific changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program to encourage accountable care organizations to invest in the infrastructure necessary to successfully take on risk. “While some of CMS’s proposed improvements are welcome and could make the program more attractive to new applicants and existing ACOs, we question whether other proposals go far enough to correct misguided design elements that emphasize penalties rather than rewards,” wrote AHA Executive Vice President Rick Pollack, commenting on a proposed MSSP rule published Dec. 8. “Providers have invested significant time, energy and resources to develop the clinical and operational infrastructures necessary to better manage patient care. Therefore, the AHA urges CMS to modify the shared savings determination so that more ACOs can share in more of the savings they generate. This will allow them to continue to invest in the program and give ACOs adequate tools to coordinate and manage care.” 

Related News Articles

Headline
The Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Aug. 21 announced the creation of a Healthcare Advisory…
Headline
A JAMA study published Aug. 18 found that plan design changes by Medicare Part D insurers, particularly for Medicare Advantage plans, following passage of the…
Chairperson's File
Public
The recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act will bring big changes to health care. AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack joined me for a Leadership Dialogue…
Headline
The House Ways and Means Subcommittees on Health and Oversight held a joint hearing today to discuss lessons learned, challenges and opportunities to improve…
Headline
The AHA today expressed support for the Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, a bill that would eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient…
Headline
The AHA July 8 wrote in opposition to the “Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act” (H.R. 4002), which would repeal current law banning the creation…