AHA-supported bill would fix Medicare ACO benchmarking flaw

Jun 15, 2021 - 02:03 PM
senate-legislation-update

A coalition of 13 health care organizations, including the AHA, today voiced support for the Accountable Care in Rural America Act, bipartisan legislation that would revise the benchmarking formula for the Medicare Shared Savings Program to ensure participating accountable care organizations have an equal opportunity to share in savings regardless of their geographic location.
 
“This legislation fixes an important flaw in the current MSSP benchmarking methodology – a flaw that systematically disadvantages many ACOs, including a high proportion in rural areas, and makes it harder for them to achieve savings even when they improve quality and reduce costs,” the groups said in a letter of support for the bill, introduced last week by Reps. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas; Suzan DelBene, D-Wash.; Mike Kelly, R-Pa.; Ami Bera, D-Calif.; Tom O’Halleran, D-Ariz.; Terri Sewell, D-Ala.; Neil Dunn, R-Fla.; and Lance Gooden, R-Texas.
 

Related News Articles

Headline
Analysis highlights impact of proposed Medicaid cuts on rural patients and hospitals
The AHA June 16 released a fact sheet with analysis on the impact to rural patients and hospitals from proposed Medicaid cuts by Congress. The analysis found…
Headline
MedPAC releases June report to Congress on Medicare and the health care delivery system
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission June 13 released its June report to Congress that outlines recommendations for hospital and other Medicare payment…
Headline
Analysis: Rural hospitals at risk due to cuts in OBBA
Data from the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows that health care cuts under…
Headline
Learning series to focus on obstetric readiness for EMS, EDs in rural areas
The Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health, with support from the Health Resources and Services Administration, will host a five-part learning series…
Headline
Threat of Medicaid cuts to rural communities highlighted in new video
The latest video in the AHA’s series “Medicaid: Real Lives, Real Care” features Jennifer Clowers, regional chief financial officer of Our Lady of the Lake…
Headline
AHA podcast: Bringing Virtual Behavioral Health Care Access to Rural Youth in West Virginia
Adrienne Coopey, D.O., a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, discusses how a fully virtual…