CMS has announced a new initiative available to Medicare Shared Saving Program accountable care organization that will provide upfront investments in infrastructure and redesigned care process to help ACOs provide high-quality care.
The initiative, called the ACO Investment Model, will provide up to $114 million in upfront investments to as many as 75 ACOs.
ACOs that joined the MSSP from 2012 to 2014 are eligible for the program. ACOs that join the MSSP in 2016 will also be eligible.
Under the ACO Investment Model, organizations joining the MSSP in 2016 will receive three types of payments: An upfront, fixed payment; an upfront, variable payment based on the number of its preliminarily prospectively-assigned beneficiaries; and a monthly payment of varying amount depending on the size of the ACO.
ACOs that joined the MSSP from 2012 to 2014 will receive the upfront, variable payment, and the monthly payment of varying amount.
"The ACO investment Model will give Medicare ACOs more flexibility in setting quality and financial goals, while giving them greater accountability for delivering quality care efficiently," said CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner.
More articles on ACOs:
4 recently announced ACOs
Pioneer financial results show why some ACOs are leaving the program
3 lessons learned from MSSP ACOs in performance year 1