Patient-centered medical homes that have received the National Committee for Quality Assurance seal saw a 5 percent greater reduction in average Medicare costs than practices that have not earned NCQA recognition, according to a study conducted by RTI International.
Approximately two-thirds of the difference in Medicare payments between the non-accredited and accredited practices was attributable to a decline in payments to acute care hospitals.
The study also found overall emergency department visits fell by 6 percent once a practice received PCMH recognition from NCQA.
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