Applications for the next round of accountable care organizations (ACO) will open Aug. 1 for a Jan. 1, 2013, start date, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation announced Monday.
When CMS announced the initial Advance Payment Model, providers voiced their concerns about the lack of capital to invest in coordinated care. Therefore, the program offers additional support to physician-based and rural providers enrolled in the broader Shared Savings Program with upfront investments so that they can implement the necessary health IT systems and, therefore, reap the benefits sooner.
Designed for smaller ACOs with less capital to increase participation in the Shared Savings Program, the program aims to attract providers with payments to be repaid in the future, CMS noted in a fact sheet. The Advance Payment Model also tests whether payments will allow ACOs to improve care for beneficiaries and generate more Medicare savings and faster.
This next round follows the first Advance Payment ACOs. As of April 1, the Advance Payment ACOs are Coastal Carolina Quality Care in New Bern, N.C.; Jackson Purchase Medical Associates in Paducah, Ky.; North Country ACO in Littleton, N.H.; Primary Partners in Clermont, Fla.; and RGV ACO Health Providers in Donna, Texas.
CMS will announce organizations participating in the Advance Payment Model beginning July 1, 2012, in coming months, it said. CMS received more than 50 applications.
Applications to the next round of the Advance Payment Model are due Sept. 19.
In addition, notices of intent to apply to the Medicare Shared Savings Program are due June 29.
For more information:
- read the CMS details
- here's the fact sheet (.pdf)