The Alternative QUALITY Contract, created by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, is one of the most advanced versions yet of an accountable care organization. It was introduced in Jan. 2009, three years before the Medicare ACO program is set…

Rushing to develop accountable care organizations could result in scrutiny from lawmakers and severe consequences in the California marketplace, Dustin Corcoran, CEO of the California Medical Association, wrote in an opinion piece for Capitol Weekly.

Multispecialty groups owned by hospitals and integrated delivery systems showed a 2.4 percent increase in total medical revenue after operating cost from 2008-2009, while the same measurement for independent groups fell by less than 1 percent, according to a release…

Multispecialty groups owned by hospitals and integrated delivery systems showed a slight decrease in work units from 2004-2009, while their independent counterparts showed a slight increase, according to a release by MGMA.

CIGNA has been experimenting with accountable care models in pilot studies with physicians in Connecticut, New Hampshire and Texas during the past two years. In July, the nationwide health insurer started a new pilot with Piedmont Physicians Group, a 100-member…

As patient loads and provider shortages increase, many hospitals are implementing surgicalist programs to accompany the hospitalist programs that came into vogue several years ago. Here, two hospital executives who have been through a surgicalist program implementation with physician staffing…

As a result of healthcare reform law, hospitals face a bevy of regulations including payment reductions for certain readmissions as well as new demonstration and pilot projects related to more accountable care and shared payment. The regulations surrounding these projects…

In a letter to CMS, America's Health Insurance Plans, the insurers' trade group, is cautioning federal regulators against loosening antitrust and fraud regulations to accommodate accountable care organizations.

Surgical patients with known heart disease risks who are given beta blockers before and after surgery have a significantly reduced chance of post-operative death compared to those not given beta blockers, according to a study by researches at San Francisco…

The American Hospital Association's next Town Hall Interactive webcast will focus on developing an accountable care organization, according to an AHA News Now report.