ACO rule draws tough questions, highlights system's shortcomings

May 4 2011

CQ HealthBeat reports that federal officials are considering the public criticism and comments they are receiving in response to the proposed rule issued regarding the health law's accountable care organizations. One expert, for instance, tells Politico Pro that data collection challenges could impede the formation of ACOs.

CQ HealthBeat: Medicare Officials Acknowledge Criticism of ACO Proposal
Top Medicare official Jon Blum said Monday that federal officials are taking seriously the many tough questions raised by the public about the proposed rule for accountable care organizations released March 31. "Some of the reaction is, 'You guys made this so hard we can't participate,'" Blum said at a meeting sponsored by the College of American Pathologists. Some stakeholders have told federal officials that the proposal "isn't a good deal," he said (Adams, 5/2).

Politico Pro: Expert: ACOs Challenged By Lack Of Data
Health care may be cutting edge when it comes to scientific innovation, but it is very backward when it comes to best practices in business, a quality expert charged Monday. Margaret O'Kane, head of the National Committee for Quality Assurance, an accrediting and evaluation body, said that problems with data collection and information technology in the health industry could impede the formation of accountable care organizations (Feder, 5/3).

Modern Healthcare: Patients May Present ACO Concerns Of Their Own Officials Say
Some of the biggest concerns arising from proposed accountable care organization rules may end up coming from patients and not health care providers, according to a senior CMS official. Health care providers have outlined a series of concerns to the CMS since the agency proposed ACO rules on March 31 to create coordinated care groups that aim to slow the growth in health care spending while making member-clinicians eligible to receive a share of the resulting savings (Daly, 5/2).