Thank you, so much, Dr. Unell, for bringing to light this very important and serious issue. I knew you could do a much better job than myself in explaining how Accountable Care Organizations work and their drawbacks. The fact that CMS has been experimenting on traditional Medicare beneficiaries with alternative payment plans that can harm patients without their knowledge or consent since 2010 and often, no alternative, is reprehensible and amoral. This is CMS's way of railroading traditional Medicare beneficiaries into Advantage type plans but behind their backs even though it has been proven over and over that Advantage plans cost Medicare more than traditional. I am glad you pointed out that ACO's are supposedly held to "quality" metrics, but "quality" is neither quantified nor qualified...apparently it is subjective and like you said, every ACO gives themselves "A's." Thank you so much for a great article; now, if only this can make national news, I would be so happy!
Thank you, so much, Dr. Unell, for bringing to light this very important and serious issue. I knew you could do a much better job than myself in explaining how Accountable Care Organizations work and their drawbacks. The fact that CMS has been experimenting on traditional Medicare beneficiaries with alternative payment plans that can harm patients without their knowledge or consent since 2010 and often, no alternative, is reprehensible and amoral. This is CMS's way of railroading traditional Medicare beneficiaries into Advantage type plans but behind their backs even though it has been proven over and over that Advantage plans cost Medicare more than traditional. I am glad you pointed out that ACO's are supposedly held to "quality" metrics, but "quality" is neither quantified nor qualified...apparently it is subjective and like you said, every ACO gives themselves "A's." Thank you so much for a great article; now, if only this can make national news, I would be so happy!
Sue