In “Accountable Care”, Who Is Accountable For What Consumer?

In the five years since the signing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), we’ve seen the creation and growth of accountable care organizations (ACOs). There are now 645 ACOs in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, of which 366 are Medicare ACOs covering around 50 million beneficiaries (see Accountable Care Growth In 2014: A Look Ahead, Fast Facts – All Medicare Shared Savings Program And Medicare Pioneer ACOs, and ACO Update: Accountable Care At A Tipping Point).

And based on the January announcement from the Obama Administration (see Medicare Bets Big On . . .