ACOs Get New Criteria For NCQA Accreditation

On September 11, 2012, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) published the 2013 Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) technical specifications and guidance for accountable care organizations (ACOs) seeking NCQA accreditation. The guidance is intended to help ACOs collect and report their quality performance for 35 standardized measures that align with the Medicare Shared Savings Program, expectations common among private payers, as well as specific Medicaid quality measures that must be reported to the federal Medicaid program. The guidance advises first-year ACOs on the measures to be reported during the first year of operation and which can . . .