Medicare ACOs Not More Effective Than Traditional Medicare At Helping Beneficiaries With Dementia Avoid Unwanted Care At The End Of Life

Medicare Shared Savings Program accountable care organizations (ACOs) were not more effective than traditional Medicare fee-for-service at helping beneficiaries with dementia avoid unwanted high-intensity care in the 30 days before death, according to an analysis of beneficiary outcomes. The analysis focused on end-of-life care planning, receipt of high-intensity care, and costs for Medicare beneficiaries with dementia who were attributed to an ACO and for those who were not. Because there was no difference in planning, outcomes, and costs, the researchers proposed that alternative payment models for ACOs may be needed to support a higher . . .