Study: Medicare’s ACO pilot saved hundreds of million of dollars
Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)
Diabetes: Medtronic readies smartphone-enabled CGM | MassDevice.com On Call
Medicare touts big savings from reform programs | MassDevice.com On Call
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Medicare reform initiatives have resulted in major savings, with more than $380 million in budget savings in the 1st 12 months, according to an interim financial report. Final results are expected later this year.
The Affordable Care Organizations in particular appear to be achieving savings beyond expectations, with 54 of the 114 ACOs exceeding benchmarks for in their 1st year, and 29 of those generating savings of of $254 million for themselves and for Medicare Trust Funds.
Commercial ACO contracts cut Medicare spending, study finds
The Accountable Care Organization model may help healthcare providers lower their spending on Medicare patients, and those outcomes may extend to other patient groups as well, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. Healthcare groups that launched payment incentives through
GOP forwards a new ‘doc fix’ for Medicare payments | MassDevice.com On Call
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — House GOP-ers are looking to rewrite the so-called "doc fix," replacing Medicare’s sustainable growth rate fomula with a physician performance incentive program.
The 70-page proposal claims to improve quality and efficiency in the healthcare system with a physician reimbursement system that would start with 5 years of consistent Medicare payments.
Rep. McDermott (D-Wash.) cries foul on Medicare doctor fees | MassDevice.com On Call
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) wants more checks on the way Medicare sets doctors fees, warning that current practices are unfairly biased towards specialists over primary care physicians.
Currently the Relative Value Scale Update committee, a group appointed by the American Medical Assn., recommends prices for doctor fees. Under the Congressman’s bill, an independent panel of experts would keep a closer eye on the much-debated prices.
AirStrip 1 debuts in Arizona hospitals
AirStrip 1, the electronic data management system designed to link disparate medical technologies, launched last week with co-developer Dignity Health installing the system at 2 of its member hospitals in Arizona.
Dignity Health, hoping to ease compliance with ACO regulations, increase market share and expand clinical setting with mobile data access, rolled out the Air-Strip 1 system at the Chandler Regional Medical Center and Mercy Gilbert medical Center, according to a release.
Dr. Jonathan Gruber: Can we control costs in healthcare reform?
Harvard Law School rounded up a panel of experts to discuss some of the implications of healthcare reform in the 1st annual Health Law in Review panel discussion.
ACOs: Patience, please
5 IT tactics of an Accountable Care Organization
I recently presented a webinar outlining the the IT work ahead to support Accountable Care Organizations.
Here are the slides that I used.
I recommended five priorities to create a foundation for care management and population health:
