My Chat with Nicole Bradberry

On the anniversary of the launch of the Florida Association of ACOs and the vital role of MSOs in supporting the operations of disruptive business models chasing the sustainable healthcare ecosystem I had a round two conversation with Nicole Bradberry, President and Chief Operating Officer of Orange Health Solutions and CEO of the Florida Association …

Healthcare Change is Not Coming. Healthcare has Changed!

Why Clinical Integration is Essential for the Future of Independent Physicians Guest post by Ben Humphrey, MD, CPE, MGO Healthcare Consulting (1,2,3) We’re past the tipping point and are proceeding headlong into new market-driven accountability for quality, cost and value. As these large-scale changes progress, physicians who want to thrive and be positioned for long-term …

The Medicare Shared Savings Program: Class of 2015

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH The clock is ticking and the CMS continues its community outreach via their series of National Provider Calls on the application process for ACOs interested in submitting for the Medicare Shared Savings Program. The deadline for the class of 2015 is approaching with the next call scheduled for Tuesday, April …

An ACO ‘Deck-o-Topia’ at HiMSS14

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH This is the fourth year in  row that I have participated in the largest annual gathering of parties in interest to the health informatics ecosystem. From payor to provider to regulator to vendor to the patient and/or consumer of healthcare services, there is always much flare to consider, discard or assimilate.  …

Patient Engagement in an ACO World

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH Last June I had the honor or moderating a panel on ‘unlocking innovation in patient engagement’ in an ACO World at MedCity News’s ENGAGE conference. Joining me on the panel are: Libby Webb, Director, Product Management, Athenahealth, Lanie W. Abbott, APR, Senior Communications & Outreach Coordinator, EMHS Population Health Management …

More than Half of ACOs ‘Save Money’ Only 1/4 Bonus Providers

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH In the narrative matters department and following CMS’s press release on January 30th, 2014 of the ‘interim financial results for select Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACO) initiatives, an in-depth savings analysis for Pioneer ACOs, results from the Physician Group Practice demonstration, and expanded participation in the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement …

It’s All About the Network

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH 2014 has kicked off to a challenging pace and doesn’t look to let up any time soon! Over at Health Innovation Media where we follow health innovation from ‘idea to business model’ including accountable care platforms, ‘apps’ or infrastructure plays,  Dr. Pat Salber, CEO of early mover in the ‘rewards …

123 ACOs Join the Shared Savings Dance Card

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH CMS has announced another round of certified ACOs participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program effective for January 1, 2014. The complete list is available here. One observation I’ll make is Universal American (UAM) seems to remain active in building a national footprint of managed ACO collaborations. Their risk sharing …

Accountable Care, mhealth and the Triple Aim

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH For those of you following this blog you know I write about ACOs and the emerging accountable care zeitgeist. My lens has been forged by decades of experience in the ‘managed competition’ experiment. For an earlier piece see: ‘Some Context and Perspective on Standing Up the ACO.’  The managed competition …

ACA, Accountable Care and the @HealthcareGov Fiasco

By Gregg A. Masters, MPH With the quiet time afforded this ‘Thanks Giving-Kah’, I feel called to express some ‘dis-ease’ with the progress towards our pursuit of the triple aim or sustainable healthcare ecosystem. As if the health reform battle hasn’t been a power partisan exchange from day one. Think again… If you weren’t paying …