New Medicare Incentives Encourage Accountable Care Organizations To Assume Greater Risk

New research from Avalere finds that accountable care organizations (ACOs) participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) would have earned an additional net payments of $886 million in 2015 if they had assumed greater financial risk under the program and had qualified for the 5 percent bonus payment now available under the Quality Payment Program (QPP).

“CMS’ new value-based payment incentives really tip the scales for doctors to assume greater financial risk,” said Josh Seidman, Senior Vice President at Avalere. “For those physicians who were dipping their toes in the water with low-risk ACO models, the incentives now make it advantageous...