AHA-supported bill would fix Medicare ACO benchmarking flaw

A coalition of 13 health care organizations, including the AHA, today voiced support for the Accountable Care in Rural America Act, bipartisan legislation that would revise the benchmarking formula for the Medicare Shared Savings Program to ensure participating accountable care organizations have an equal opportunity to share in savings regardless of their geographic location.

'This legislation fixes an important flaw in the current MSSP benchmarking methodology - a flaw that systematically disadvantages many ACOs, including a high proportion in rural areas, and makes it harder for them to achieve savings even when they improve quality and reduce costs,' the groups said in a letter of support for the bill, introduced last week by Reps. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas; Suzan DelBene, D-Wash.; Mike Kelly, R-Pa.; Ami Bera, D-Calif.; Tom O'Halleran, D-Ariz.; Terri Sewell, D-Ala.; Neil Dunn, R-Fla.; and Lance Gooden, R-Texas.