An Executive Response to the CMS ACO Regulations: Too Much, Too Late?

Anne McCune, Senior VP and Leader, Ingenix Strategy and Governance, and Michael Goran, MD, Senior VP, Ingenix Consulting. The long overdue draft of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ACO proposed rules were released on March 31, accompanied by a companion set of regulations from the FTC about antitrust implications of ACOs. Recognizing organizations with varying capability maturity levels are assessing their current state in preparation for developing a response, nationally recognized experts Anne McCune and Dr. Michael Goran will review the key elements of the proposed rules and help stakeholders understand the strategic and tactical implications of this long-awaited guidance from CMS. The speakers will review proposed concepts included in the regulations that are intended to encourage IT investment, enable groups of providers to collaborate, and establish a Medicare Shared Savings Program that promotes accountability. Beyond these high-level concepts, the speakers will outline the key barriers in the proposed rules, identify alternative models, and outline significant challenges – and opportunities – in launching and operating ACOs within context of the proposed rules.