Out-of-network primary care tied to rising ACO costs

Healthcare Finance News February 18, 2020
Jeff Lagasse

Decreasing the percentage of primary care delivered out-of-network across all ACOs by 0.1% could save Medicare $45 million a year.

Accountable Care Organizations formed for the first time in 2011 and were designed to combat rising medical costs and provide more coordinated care to Medicare patients. But the savings have been inconsistent nationwide.

A new Portland State University study looked at what’s driving these inconsistencies and what ACOs might do to resolve the issue. The study was published in the February issue of Health Affairs by OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Assistant Professor Sunny Lin.

One of the key findings is that primary care has the potential to be the key to reducing healthcare costs.

Decreasing the percentage of primary...

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