On December 19th, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that thirty-two leading health care organizations from across the country will participate in the Pioneer Accountable Care Organization (ACOs) Model. The Pioneer ACO Model will encourage primary care doctors, specialists, hospitals and other caregivers to provide better, more coordinated care for people with Medicare and could save up to $1.1 billion over five years.

The Pioneer ACO Model will test the effectiveness of several innovative payment models and how they can help experienced organizations to provide better care for beneficiaries, work in coordination with private payers, and reduce Medicare cost growth.  The Pioneer ACO Model also requires ACOs to engage other payers in similar efforts to reward health care providers that deliver high-quality care.

Selected Pioneer ACOs represent 18 States and have the opportunity to improve care for about 860,000 Medicare beneficiaries. For a list of providers, click here.