The Physician Organization of Michigan ACO, a Medicare Shared Savings Program accountable care organization formed as a joint venture between the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor and eight physician groups, has added more than 2,900 physicians to its network.
About 900 other U-M Health System providers also joined POM ACO. The move more than doubles the size of the ACO, which previously included roughly 1,900 providers. POM ACO now includes 5,700 providers and covers the lives of about 120,000 Medicare beneficiaries.
Many of the new physicians in POM ACO, including 1,700 from the University of Michigan Medical School's Faculty Group Practice, were members of the University of Michigan Pioneer ACO that dropped out of the model in 2013. Its members announced their plan to join POM ACO in July.
Other new members include physicians from groups that do not have ACO experience, including MidMichigan Health, which is affiliated with UMHS.
"Our commitment to improving the health of individuals and populations, and containing the growth of healthcare costs, grows even stronger with this transition, and we're glad to be joined by so many like-minded physicians and providers across the state," David Spahlinger, MD, executive director of the U-M Faculty Group Practice and chair of the POM ACO board, said in a news release. "By working together to share information, best practices and ideas, we will continue to help improve traditional Medicare."
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