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Companies express confidence in physician-led ACOs

However, a survey finds they are more likely to support such a model if a health insurer also is involved.

By Victoria Stagg Elliott — Posted Oct. 18, 2011

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The model of accountable care organizations that gives employers the most confidence is one led by a physician group partnered with a health plan, according to a survey released Sept. 28 by two consulting firms.

About 53% of 674 companies surveyed in June said they would be very or somewhat confident about an ACO run by a large medical group working with a health plan. Only 31% had that confidence level in a large medical group working alone, said Aon Hewitt, a human resources consultant, and Polakoff Boland, a health care consultant.

Employers were slightly less confident about hospital-led ACOs. About 48% said they would be very or somewhat confident about an ACO run by a hospital working with a health plan. Thirty percent were very or somewhat confident about a hospital-run ACO without a health plan partner.

About 53% said they would be very or somewhat confident about an ACO run by a large medical group working with a health plan, but only 31% said this about a large medical group working alone. About 48% said the same about a hospital working with a health plan, but 30% were very or somewhat confident about a hospital-run ACO without such a partner.

Of those surveyed, 82% said the most important aspect of an ACO was quality of care, and 81% said the ability to manage costs was key. About 66% prioritized patient outcomes, and 45% said patient satisfaction was important.

Companies told the survey that a large medical group working with a health plan would be the ACO model most likely to achieve those goals.

"By improving access to primary care, plan participants can avoid emergency room visits, which results in a financial reward for the ACO and shared savings with the sponsoring organization," said Michael Cryer, MD, Aon Hewitt's national medical director.

The survey found that 65% of companies were interested in the ACO model. Meanwhile, 11% were uninterested. About 24% did not know if their company was exploring this option.

About 92% of hospitals, academic medical centers, ambulatory clinics and physician practices were in the planning stages of an ACO, and 30% had one that was operational, according to the Accountable Care Organization Readiness Study released Sept. 21 by the management consulting firm Beacon Partners in Weymouth, Mass.

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