CMS and its Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) announced two initiatives designed to speed up the development of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). CMS is considering an Advance Payment Initiative (API) to test whether providing ACOs with an advance on expected shared savings could increase participation in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). This is only a proposal at this point in time and CMS is soliciting comments on this issue through June 17, 2011. More information may be found on the CMMI Web site. At the same time, CMS announced the launch of a separate Pioneer Accountable Care Organization Model. The Pioneer ACO Model will allow integrated delivery systems that are already engaged in coordinating care and participating in outcome-based contracts with private payers to enter into agreements with Medicare. The delivery systems and the private payers must agree to participate in a shared savings program that is similar to the MSSP, but differs in some key areas. CMS intends the Pioneer ACO Model to complement the MSSP, while providing more opportunities for rapid escalation of shared savings and risk. Pioneer ACOs must have a minimum of 15,000 Medicare beneficiaries attributed to the ACO (as opposed to only 5,000 for the MSSP). CMS’ goal is to enter into agreements with only up to 30 Pioneer ACOs. Pioneer ACO agreements with CMS will begin in the third or fourth quarter of 2011. More information is available on the Pioneer ACO Model Web site.
Dallas L Alford IV, CPA is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of North Carolina and owner of Atlantic Financial Consulting, a consulting firm that provides comprehensive medical billing services, practice management consulting, coding audits, Medicare compliance, Medicare RAC support and other general medical practice consulting services.
To learn more about Atlantic Financial Consulting you may visit their website at
http://atlanticfinancial.us or contact Dallas L Alford IV, CPA directly at 1 888-428-2555, Ext. 200.
Dallas L Alford IV, CPA is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of North Carolina and owner of Atlantic Financial Consulting, a consulting firm that provides comprehensive medical billing services, practice management consulting, coding audits, Medicare compliance, Medicare RAC support and other general medical practice consulting services.
To learn more about Atlantic Financial Consulting you may visit their website at
http://atlanticfinancial.us or contact Dallas L Alford IV, CPA directly at 1 888-428-2555, Ext. 200.
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