Payment and Delivery Reform
Accountable Care Organizations
Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are entities being created and piloted as the primary approach to reduce health care costs and improve outcomes and the overall quality of care. In an ACO, physicians, hospitals, and other care providers work together to provide complete and coordinated patient care, including hospitalization and specialty services, with the goal of improving quality and health outcomes.
Because orthopaedic surgery in most cases is elective and is associated with high costs, it is likely to be a prime focus of early attention from ACOs. Leadership and collaboration from orthopaedic surgeons is needed to ensure high quality, cost-efficient musculoskeletal care delivery under the ACO model.
Important Resources
- AAOS Comments on ACO Proposed Regulation
- AAOS Comments on ACO Antitrust Proposed Regulation
- Letter to House Energy and Commerce Committee on SGR
- Summary of Proposed CMS Rule Regarding ACOs
- ACOs In-depth Information
- AAOS ACO Primer (in PDF format)
ACO articles in AAOS Now
Federal Activities
- Advocacy NOW
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- Research Capitol Hill Days
- Washington Health Policy Fellowship
- AAOS Legislative Action Center
- Advocacy in the News
State Activities
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Public Information
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