By: Susan Sumrell

Today NACHC submitted comments in response to a Request for Information (RFI) from CMS on the development of Accountable Care Organizations and the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Sectons 3021 and 3022 of the Affordable Care Act created the Medicare Shared Savings Programs and also calls for the development of ACOs by January 2012. CMS now has the job of designing the details of how these programs will work.

The RFI specifically addressed several questions to assist CMS in the development of their proposed regulations on ACOs and the Medicare Shared Savings Program. NACHC’s comments focused on health center specific issues within the questions posed and we also included a document titled Principles for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs): Making ACOs Work for Underserved Populations which NACHC has developed to serve as a guiding document for policy makers and health centers as they are researching ACOs, and it serves as the foundation for our comments on the RFI.

This RFI is just our first opportunity to submit formal comments to CMS on the development of ACOs. CMS will soon be publishing proposed regulations, which will give more detail on ACOs, and will be open for a comment period as well. Check back for more information when those proposed rules are announced.