Some additional interesting recent reading regarding ACOs and skilled nursing providers:
- Here is a very interesting article about the feedback from a survey of 13 established or emerging ACOs conducted by Modern Healthcare. These early ACO leaders acknowledge that they still have concerns about the risks and costs, but in some cases show some promising early returns from cost savings.
- This is from July, but it's one of the best analyses of SNF payment options in ACOs, provided by Kathleen Griffin of Health Dimensions Group.
- Just what the heck is accountable care? Don't be afraid to ask; our own recent SNF survey indicated that many still don't completely understand what ACOs are and how they are supposed to work. Ron Klar at the Health Affairs Blog provides the basics in "ACO 101."
- States have been slow to react legislatively on ACOs, although I wonder why they should be doing anything? What state legislative agenda would really facilitate the evolution of ACOs at this point? Studies? New rules and mandates to add new layers of complication and regulation? Perhaps states can do the most good by just staying out of the way and letting health systems keep taking the steps they are already taking to acheive better patient outcomes through collaborative care.
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