The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) announced May 17, 2011, the formation of three new programs related to Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). These new programs are unrelated to the current notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that CMS released on the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP).
Pioneer ACO Model: The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation is requesting applications for this new program that would provide a faster path for providers that are already coordinating care for patients and are ready to move forward.
Advanced Payment Initiative: The Innovation Center is considering a program that would pre-pay those ACOs entering the Medicare Shared Savings Program to test whether and how pre-paying a portion of future shared saving could increase participation in the Medicare Shared Savings Program
Accelerated Development Learning Sessions: CMS is offering four accelerated development sessions (ADSs) that will provide executives with the opportunity to learn about core functions of an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) and ways to build their organization’s capacity to succeed as an ACO.
Click here to read the press release by CMS on these ACO activities.
Click here to read more information the work the ASA Accountable Care Organization Task Force is doing on ACOs.