ENGLEWOOD Colo., June 1, 2011 - The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) submitted formal comments today on the proposed rule for the Medicare Shared Savings Program, which implements accountable care organizations (ACOs). The Association expressed concerns over the:
• Complexity of a program that has already established a bias against medical group participation
• Excessively high cost of both ACO development and ongoing operation relative to the potential financial benefits
• Small and uncertain financial benefits
• Substantial regulatory risks under related joint notices from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ)
MGMA addressed the regulatory risks of the ACO program and offered additional recommendations in two separate letters to CMS and OIG, and the FTC and DOJ.
About MGMA
MGMA is the premier membership association for professional administrators and leaders of medical group practices. Since 1926, MGMA has delivered networking, professional education and resources, and political advocacy for medical practice management professionals. Today, MGMA serves 22,500 members who lead 13,600 organizations nationwide in which some 280,000 physicians provide more than 40 percent of the healthcare services delivered in the United States.
MGMA's mission is to continually improve the performance of medical group practice professionals and the organizations they represent. MGMA promotes the group practice model as the optimal framework for healthcare delivery, assisting group practices in providing efficient, safe, patient-focused and affordable care. MGMA is headquartered in Englewood, Colo., and maintains a government affairs office in Washington, D.C.