BALTIMORE—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a final rule improving how Medicare pays Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program for delivering better patient care. The final rule should help more Accountable Care Organizations successfully participate in the Medicare Shared Savings Program by improving the shared savings payment methodology and providing a new participation option for certain Accountable Care Organizations to move to the more advanced tracks of the program, according to CMS.

"Today’s changes will encourage more physicians to improve patient care by joining Accountable Care Organizations, while also refining how the program measures success, so that current participants are better rewarded for quality,” CMS acting administrator Andy Slavitt said in a statement. “These new flexibilities are based on significant input from participants and will help physicians prepare for the new Quality Payment Program, part of bipartisan legislation Congress passed last year repealing the failed Sustainable Growth Rate.”

CMS has published a fact sheet with details about the rule. For more information about the role of eyecare professionals in ACOs, read VM’s feature, A.C.O.: Where Do I Fit In? What You Need to Know About Accountable Care Organizations.