Medicare Shared Savings ACOs Saved $1 Billion Over Three Years

Over the first three years of the Medicare Shared Savings Program, from 2013 through 2015, accountable care organization (ACOs) reduced Medicare spending by nearly $1 billion. During this period, there were 428 participating ACOs; they served 9.7 million Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries. Most of the ACOs reduced Medicare spending compared to their benchmarks, and at the same time met or exceeded the MSSP quality measures. From 2013 to 2015, ACOs reduced Medicare spending by $3.4 billion, but the ACOs that exceeded their cost benchmarks increased spending by a total of $2.4 billion, leaving net savings . . .