CMS announces 45 ACOs are now participating in Next Generation model

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has announced 45 providers that are participating in the Next Generation accountable care organization model, up from an estimated 17 the year before.

For 2017, 28 new participants joined the Next Gen model, bringing the total number of participants to 45.

CMS Innovation Center's Next Generation ACO Model was designed to test whether strong financial incentives for ACOs can improve health outcomes and reduce expenditures for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries.

Provider groups in this model assume higher levels of financial risk and reward than are available under the shared savings program.

Next Generation is among the riskiest for providers, with some last year saying the metrics were too high a standard to reach the savings needed to earn payments.

[Also: 3 Next Generation ACOs drop out with two citing financial targets as reason]

The names of the 45 Next Gen ACOs were released Wednesday when CMS announced that over 359,000 clinicians would be participating in four alternative payment models.

APMs are one of two quality payment programs - the other being the merit-based incentive system, or MIPs - that satisfies implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, or MACRA.

CMS said that by the 2018 performance year it expects 25 percent of clinicians in the quality payment program will be participating in an advanced APM, and will be eligible to earn APM incentive payments.

[Also: New ACO model qualifies for APM incentive payments under MACRA]

The four APM qualifying models are the Medicare shared savings program, Next Generation ACO, comprehensive end-stage renal disease care model, and comprehensive primary care plus, or  CPC+ model.

There are 572 ACOs across the shared savings program, Next Generation and the comprehensive end-stage renal disease model, CMS said. Of these, 131 ACOs are in a risk-bearing track.

Next Generation consists of three initial performance years and two optional one-year extensions.

An application portal for applications in the 2018 Next Gen ACO Model, along with a letter of intent due in May, will be open in March and also due in May.

The Next Generation participants are:

Park Nicollet Health Services, Minnesota
Pioneer Valley Accountable Care, Massachusetts
Prospect ACO CA, California
Deaconess Care Integration, Indiana
Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Texas, Texas
Bellin Health dba Physician Partners, Wisconsin
Beacon Health, Maine
MemorialCare Regional, California
Optum Accountable Care Organization, Arizona
Trinity Health ACO, Michigan
Baroma Accountable Care, Florida
Cornerstone Health Enablement Strategic Solutions, North Carolina
Iowa Health Accountable Care, Iowa
Henry Ford Physician Accountable Care Organization, Michigan
Steward Integrated Care Network, Massachusetts
Triad healthCare Network, North Carolina
ThedaCare ACO, Wisconsin
Michigan Pioneer ACO, Michigan
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health, New Hampshire
Allina Integrated Medical Network, Minnesota
Atrius health, Massachusetts
Integra Community Care Network, Rhode Island
HCP ACO California, California
Physicians of Southwest Washington, Washington
UT Southwestern Accountable Care Network, Texas
Accountable Care Options, Florida
Premier Health ACO of Ohio, Ohio
KentuckyOne Health Partners, Kentucky
Fairview Health Services, Minnesota
Prospect ACO Northeast, California
St. Luke's Clinic Coordinated Care, Idaho
ProHealth Solutions, Wisconsin
Indiana University Health, Indiana
Bronx Accountable Healthcare Network IPA, New York
Hill Physicians Medical Group, California
Sharp HealthCare ACO, California
Regal Medical Group, dba Heritage California ACO, California
Carilion Clinic Medicare Shared Savings Company, Virginia
Arizona Care Network, Arizona
Accountable Care Coalition of Chesapeake, Texas
Monarch Health Plan, California
APA ACO, California
UNC Senior Alliance, North Carolina
Partners Community Physicians Organization, Massachusetts
National ACO, California

Twitter: @SusanJMorse