Saint Joseph Mercy Health System in Ann Arbor, Mich., and IHA, one of the largest physician group practices in the Ann Arbor area, have announced they will merge, according to a Saint Joseph Mercy news release.

Oak Brook, Ill.-based Advocate Health Care and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois have announced an agreement that holds the health system and its physicians accountable for the care they provide, essentially operating as an accountable care organization, according…

Kicking off a day-long federal listening session with stakeholders, CMS Administrator Don Berwick, MD, outlined his concept of the accountable care organization and how federal agencies should oversee ACOs.   

The American Medical Group Association convened its first meeting of its ACO Development Collaborative on Oct. 1, with leaders from 22 medical group attending, according to a AMGA news release.

Geisinger Health System, an integrated network in Danville, Pa., served as one of the models for the new accountable care organization. The system participated in CMS' seminal Medicare Group Practice Demonstration, a precursor of the ACO, and recently CMS tapped…

Evanston, Ill.-based NorthShore University Health System has announced that physicians from North Shore Cardiologists will join its medical group, according to a Chicago Tribune report.

Peter Young, president of HealthCare Strategic Issues in Ft. Myers, Fla., identifies six steps a hospital or system needs to take to be a successful ACO.  

A record 48 million Americans were enrolled in Medicaid last year, which "underscores the growing role of the government in healthcare, a polarizing issue in this year's midterm congressional elections," the Associated Press reports.

On Sept. 23, the six-month anniversary of health reform, several key insurance changes went into effect, including expanded coverage for adult dependents until age 26, coverage for children with pre-existing conditions and free preventive care. David Alexander, president of healthcare…

Physician investors of a hospital under construction in Kearney, Neb., are transferring ownership to of the $20 million facility to MDM, a Kansas-based corporation, citing the ban on new physician-owned hospitals in the healthcare reform law, according to a report…