First Crop of Medicare ACOs Navigate Data Problems

A survey of Medicare ACOs after their first year in operations suggests that all parties, government and private sector health organizations, have improvements to make in the coming years, especially when it comes to sharing data.

The National Association of Accountable Care Organizations (NAACOS) surveyed health organizations in 35 of the first generation of Medicare shared savings ACOs that started in 2012. Querying them on their startup costs, estimated savings and biggest challenges, NAACOS concluded that the picture is likely to be mixed when full data on savings and performance comes in.

Startup costs averaged $2 million per ACO—higher than the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services estimated, but lower than others predicted, said NAACOS CEO Clif Gaus.

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Source: Healthcare Payer News