Big changes to ACO cost targets draw praise from providers

Modern Healthcare: Major healthcare systems are praising the CMS' attempts to make Medicare's biggest accountable-care program more attractive as the agency strives to grow the number of participants while also persuading more of them to assume greater financial risk.

In January, the agency proposed overhauling the way it evaluates if and how much money ACOs are saving in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). Under the revised methodology, for example, the agency would adjust cost benchmarks based on regional rather than national spending data when an ACO signs up for a second three-year contract period.

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