Atlantic ACO Named Among Becker’s “100 Accountable Care Organizations to Know”

The Atlantic Accountable Care Organization was recently named among the 2013 list of “100 Accountable Care Organizations to Know” by Becker’s Hospital Review, one of the health care industry’s leading publications.

The prestigious list recognizes hospitals, health systems and physician groups that have made great strides to coordinate care and lower costs by becoming Medicare and/or commercial ACOs.

The Becker's Hospital Review editorial team selected ACOs for inclusion based on the number of physicians involved and lives covered, as well as lifespan of the ACO, whether it has risk-based arrangements with multiple payers and whether it recently struck new agreements with payers. Organizations' participation in the Medicare Pioneer ACO program and recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance were also considered.

The Atlantic Accountable Care Organization, one of the largest ACOs in the nation, was selected in 2012 to participate in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (Shared Savings Program) Accountable Care Organization, a multifaceted new program sponsored by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) designed to enhance quality care, improve patient access and help reduce the growth in health care expenditures. The ACO’s provider network is comprised of more than 1,400 participating physicians and its member hospitals; Morristown Medical Center, Newton Medical Center, Overlook Medical Center and Valley Hospital, serving Bergen, Morris, Sussex, Passaic, Union, Somerset and Warren counties. The Atlantic ACO cares for nearly 100,000 Medicare and Commercial Insurance enrollees.

“Our accomplishments have put us on the forefront of the new focus on health care coordination and delivery. We are pleased to be recognized for the combined efforts of our ACO physicians, hospitals and allied health organizations,” said David R. Gross, executive director of the Atlantic ACO.

Becker’s first recognized the Atlantic ACO in 2011, when the magazine included it on its list of “10 ACOs to Know,” shortly after the ACO first formed. The Atlantic ACO has also received other national recognition, and in 2012 was included in InformationWeek Magazine’s “8 Accountable Care Organizations Worth a Closer Look.”

The full list of “100 Accountable Care Organizations to Know” can be found here: http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/lists/100-accountable-care-organizations-to-know.html

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