MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – ACO West Virginia, an affiliate of WVU Medicine and the largest accountable care organization (ACO) in West Virginia, improved care for nearly 35,000 Medicare beneficiaries in West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania last year. According to recently released performance data from the federal agency that administers the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), ACO West Virginia saved Medicare $15.2 million by meeting quality and cost goals in 2022.
A market-based solution to fragmented and costly care, ACOs empower local physicians, hospitals, and other providers to work together and take responsibility for improving quality, enhancing patient experience, and keeping care affordable. The MSSP creates incentives for ACOs to invest in transform care by allowing them to share in the savings they generate after meeting defined quality and cost goals.
ACO West Virginia’s achievements resulted in a shared savings payment of nearly $6 million.
“ACO West Virginia continues to achieve outstanding results. These achievements highlight what clinicians can accomplish when they have the right tools, technologies, and resources to manage their patients’ health inside and outside of the primary care clinic,” Ben Gerber, ACO executive for ACO West Virginia and chief strategy officer for the West Virginia University Health System, said. “Population health management is our future, and we are proud to be leaders in enhancing our models of care.”
Medicare data shows that ACO West Virginia also earned a quality score of 80.64 percent on performance measures ranging from preventive health checks and managing certain chronic conditions.
“Our ACO primary care providers treat cancer, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease, and stroke. These are the health issues that plague West Virginians and the surrounding region. We are grateful for our clinicians and ACO teams treating chronic and acute conditions. They provide the wrap around care our patients need close to home,” Kevin Halbritter, M.D., chief operating officer and medical director of ACO West Virginia, said.
“ACO West Virginia providers work to increase the number of Medicare beneficiaries taking advantage of annual wellness visits, including recommended screenings and preventive care. The ACO also focuses on ensuring smooth patient transitions from the hospital to home or a nursing home, if needed.”
In 2022, 482 ACOs caring for more than 10 million beneficiaries nationally participated in the MSSP. After accounting for shared savings earned by ACOs in 2022, estimated net Medicare savings were over $1.8 billion.
For more information on ACO West Virginia, visit ACOWV.org.