In March, CMS announced proposed regulations for creating accountable care organizations as mandated under the federal health reform law.
ACOs aim to lower costs and improve care by fostering cooperation between physicians, hospitals and other health care providers. The overhaul requires federal health programs to begin contracting with ACOs starting in January 2012.
In a California Healthline Special Report by Deirdre Kennedy, experts discussed how California health care providers are taking steps to create ACOs and the challenges they anticipate.
The Special Report includes comments from:
- Don Crane, president and CEO of the California Association of Physician Groups;
- Kristen Miranda, Blue Shield of California’s vice president for provider network management; and
- Leah Newkirk, director of health policy for the California Academy of Family Physicians (Kennedy, California Healthline, 5/11).
The complete transcript of this Special Report is available as a PDF.