MedeAnalytics Releases Analysis of Public Comments on ACO Proposed Rule

EMERYVILLE, Calif., June 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- MedeAnalytics, a leading
provider of healthcare performance management solutions, disseminated today
a report which analyzes the leading healthcare constituencies'
recommendations on the major factors of the accountable care organization
(ACO) economic model as presented in the proposed rule for the Medicare
Shared Savings Program.

The proposed rule was released on March 31, 2011, and the public comment
period ended on June 6, 2011. The MedeAnalytics report identifies nine
elements of the program that function as the primary drivers of the Medicare
ACO business model. In addition, it presents the respective positions on
these elements of seven nationally recognized healthcare constituencies: the
American Hospital Association, the Federation of American Hospitals, the
American Medical Association, the American Medical Group Association, the
Medical Group Management Association, America's Health Insurance Plans, and
Brookings-Dartmouth.

"While there has been some rhetoric in the media about scrapping the entire
ACO program as laid out by the proposed rule, the seven constituent
organizations presented recommendations to revise, not repeal, the program,"
commented Ken Perez, who directs MedeAnalytics' healthcare policy team and
serves as the company's senior vice president of marketing.

All seven organizations recommended a significant reduction to the 65
quality measures in the proposed rule (with the 32 measures of the Physician
Group Practice Demonstration often cited as a preferred measure set), as
well as a gradual phase-in period. A majority of the organizations urged the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make the financial terms
of the ACO program more attractive, with calls for a standard, flat Minimum
Savings Rate, increases to the maximum shared savings rate, the elimination
of withholding of a portion of the earned performance payment by CMS, and
creation of a separate model without downside risk.

To download the complete report, including a table summarizing the
recommendations of the seven organizations for the major financial aspects
of the proposed rule, visit MedeAnalytics' ACO Resource Center at
www.medeanalytics.com/aco.

Source: MedeAnalytics