Final ACO regulations issues

Looking for some light reading, as in 696 pages? Well you're in luck - the final ACO regulations have been issues at:

http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2011-27461_PI.pdf

The following are some of the changes made in the final regulations:

Providers will not be required to share downside risk in order to participate in an ACO and will be able to earn revenue sharing based on ACO savings earlier as opposed to Medicare retaining all the initial savings.

Quality measures that ACOs will have to meet to qualify for performance bonuses have been reduced to 33 from 65.

Community health centers and rural health clinics, which were not allowed to form ACOs in the draft proposal, will be allowed to lead ACOs.

The ACOs will also be told up-front which Medicare beneficiaries are likely to be part of their system as opposed to not knowing which patients were in the ACO until the contract ended.