Accountable Care Organizations An element of The Patient Protection and Affordab

Accountable Care Organizations
An element of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) was designed to increase the availability of health insurance to most Americans resulting in increased access and improved quality of care. Included in the PPACA was the ability for Medicare providers to form ACOs. Under the ACO model, providers are held accountable for the services they render. Provider reimbursements are tied to their ability to deliver high-quality care at a lower cost.
For this discussion respond to the following:
What is an ACO?
What are the benefits of ACOs for the health care industry?
What are the benefits of ACOs for patients?
How are ACOs rewarded for demonstrating they have delivered high-quality care and responsible use of health care dollars?
Finally, discuss barriers to effective implementation and success of ACOs given the current situation of the health care industry. Examples include limited primary care providers, inability to seamlessly coordinate care, and other barriers.