Texas Systems Latest to Launch ACOs —Modern Physician

A Growing Willingness to Adopt a Largely Untested Payment Model Amid Increased Pressure to Curb Spending

Melanie Evans at Modern Physician reports that two large Texas health systems with Medicare accountable care contracts are among the latest to enter into commercial ACOs in deals that suggest a growing willingness to adopt the largely untested payment model amid increasing pressure on providers and payers to curb health spending.  More:

Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, which is based in Houston and operates eight Texas hospitals, and the MHMD Memorial Hermann Physician Network, announced plans to launch an ACO on April 1 with Aetna, one of the nation’s largest insurers. Last July, Memorial Hermann was among nearly 90 named Medicare ACOs under a provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Meanwhile, Texas Health Resources, a 13-hospital system based in Arlington, Texas, said it has launched an ACO with Aetna for enrollees in the area of Dallas and Fort Worth. The deal follows Texas Health Resources’ announcement earlier this month that it entered into talks with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas.

Texas Health Resources is among 32 organizations operating as a Medicare ACO under the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Center’s Pioneer model, which was launched roughly one year ago. 

Read the full piece here. 

Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are Growing in Texas