Spending on Medicare Part D subscribers was $345 lower per patient when that beneficiary was aligned with an accountable care organization (ACO), according to an analysis from the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health.
As summarized in the Pittsburgh Business Times, comparing outcomes for Part D beneficiaries within an ACO in 2012 to a random sample of similar Medicare patients found those aligned with an ACO had lower medical costs without increased spending on pharmaceuticals.
"This is encouraging because it demonstrates that ACO providers may be prioritizing their focus on beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions,” said lead author Yuting Zhang, PhD, associate professor of health policy and management at Pitt's School of Public Health.
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John joined TriMed in 2016, focusing on healthcare policy and regulation. After graduating from Columbia College Chicago, he worked at FM News Chicago and Rivet News Radio, and worked on the state government and politics beat for the Illinois Radio Network. Outside of work, you may find him adding to his never-ending graphic novel collection.