Monday, May 16, 2011

Pushback Against ACOs

The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) has issued a strong statement warning that government plans for ACOs are "unworkable".

In the popular press, this is being (more-or-less accurately) portrayed as groups like Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Geisinger saying that they would not be able to participate in the proposed plans:

"Mayo Clinic, other premier medical groups call Obama plan on health care quality unworkable", Washington Post (AP), 5/12/2011.

The current administration has repeatedly tried to sell ACOs as a way to replicate the Mayo Clinic-type models nationally. But if even the Mayo Clinic states that they could not work under the proposed ACO guidelines, this could cast significant doubt about the idea.

More information:
AMGA online statement to members, 5/11/2011:
"AMGA Expresses Concerns about Accountable Care Organization Proposals to Donald Berwick, MD, CMS Administrator"

AMGA's letter letter to Medicare administrator Berwick (PDF)