The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin accepting applications on August 1, 2012 for Advance Payment Model Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Organizations applying for the Advance Payment Model would begin participation January 1, 2013.
Organizations participating in the Advance Payment Model would receive an advance payment on the shared savings they are expected to earn. Participating ACOs earn three types of payments:
• Upfront, fixed payment.
• Upfront, variable payment based on the number of its preliminarily prospectively assigned beneficiaries.
• A monthly payment of varying amount based on the size of the ACO, also based on the number of its preliminarily prospectively assigned beneficiaries.
The Advanced Payment ACO model is designed to test whether providing an advance on shared savings (as detailed above) will increase health organization participation in the Shared Savings Program, and to determine whether those advance payments can lead to better ACO care for beneficiaries and more savings for the Medicare program.
The Advanced Payment Model is available to participants in the Shared Savings Program, and allows organizations to receive advance payments that will be repaid from thee future shared savings they earn.
More information on Accountable Care Organizations and eligibility for the Shared Savings Program can be found here.
If you have questions about qualifying or applying for the Advance Payment Model, or about your eligibility as an Accountable Care Organization, please call an experienced healthcare attorney at Wachler & Associates at 248-544-0888.