Pediatric ACO lowers cost growth, maintains quality of care

Partners for Kids (PFK), the nation's oldest exclusively pediatric accountable care organization, has increased value for children on Medicaid in 34 central and southeastern Ohio counties, according to a new report from Pediatrics. The report examined cost and quality of PFK care from 2008 to 2013. The PFK data was compared to Ohio Medicaid fee-for-service (FFS) and managed care (MC) histories covering the same time frame. PFK per-member-per-month rates grew at a slower rate than either FFS or MC rates, rising just $2.40 per year. This slower rate of cost growth was achieved without diminishing quality or outcomes of overall care. Report