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Medtrade sneak peek: Stay accountable

Medtrade sneak peek: Stay accountable

ATLANTA - Accountable care organizations (ACOs) seem perfectly designed to demonstrate the value of home care, creating collaboration among healthcare professionals to reduce the need for acute care and hospital admissions. Attorney Carla Hogan believes ACOs are a great opportunity for HME providers, but only those who demonstrate their value in-patient care will get a seat at the table. Hogan will speak on this topic at Medtrade. Here's a preview.

HME News: Do you believe ACOs are working?

Carla Hogan: When the government initiates a contract with an ACO, they can choose two-sided risk—meaning if there's a profit, all parties share in it—or one-sided risk, which means that if there's a loss, all parties split the loss. Of the 88 ACOs announced in July, only five opted for two-sided risk. That reflects the concerns about whether this will work.

HME: What's the role of the HME provider in making ACOs work?

Hogan: HME providers are in a unique position. They're already involved in non-institutional care, and that's where ACOs want to keep people. Put together a business plan of how you can bring value. It's very data-driven. Can you provide useful data to the ACO? Can you help monitor patients? Can you document compliance?

HME: How can providers identify the decision-maker within an ACO?

Hogan: First determine whether it's hospital-owned or physician-owned. Go to people you already have a relationship with. It may take some digging. One thing ACOs are doing is creating chronic care coordinators who work with patients to ensure continuity of care.

HME: What's your bottom line message to providers?

Hogan: Get educated and build relationships with providers in the ACOs. Patients still have the power of choice, but think of ways to add value inside the model rather than hoping patients will still come to you.

Carla Hogan

Principal, Tuczinski, Cavalier, Gilchrist & Collura, P.C.

Health and employee law

“Are Accountable Care Organizations Working?” 

Wednesday, Oct. 17, 9:15 AM to 10:15 AM 

Contact: 518-463-3990 / [email protected]

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