Hospitals and other providers interested in participating in the second and final round of the Next Generation Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Model now have until May 2 to submit a letter of intent.
This model of ACOs allows providers to take greater performance risks than previous ACO models. In return, Next Generation ACOs can receive a greater portion of savings achieved through implementation of coordinated, high-quality care.
The Next Generation ACO Model offers more predictable financial targets, allows for more opportunities to coordinate care, and uses quality standards that are consistent with other Medicare programs. In addition, this model expands coverage for telehealth and postdischarge home services to further increase care coordination. The model also uses benchmarks that capture regional and local costs, a framework that will allow efficient, low-cost health systems to perform well by rewarding both improvement and attainment of efficiency.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is hosting five Open Door Forums to provide more information on the Next Generation ACO Model:
- March 22 – Letter of intent overview
- March 29 – Application overview
- April 5 – Financial methodology
- April 12 – Participating provider list
- April 19 – Benefit enhancements
Contact Director of Policy Erin O’Malley at eomalley@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0127 with questions.