8 Things to Know About Joining an ACO

Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are comprised of healthcare providers that unite to fill gaps in individualized care of Medicare patients. "If we focus more on team-based care, with the patient at the center, and optimize quality rather than quantity, then it is a win-win arrangement for everyone," says Martha M. Rodriguez, physician and president of an internal medicine practice in Boynton Beach, Fla. "For the first time, the ACO concept allows physicians to share the benefits gained by good coordinated care."While these benefits all sound good, primary-care physicians should still proceed with caution when joining an ACO. Here's a look at eight things you should be aware of or be wary of before signing on the dotted line.