Half of docs unprepared for more financial risk with ACOs

Echoing results from a recent survey of Massachusetts physicians, doctors nationwide appear to be leery of forming or joining an accountable care organization (ACO), according to a new report from the Optum Institute for Sustainable Health.

According to Optum's October survey of 1,000 physicians, 61 percent of physicians overall were familiar with the concept of ACOs, although more primary care physicians (PCP) (64 percent) were acquainted with the idea than specialists (59 percent). Among doctors who said they knew what ACOs were about, 28 percent overall said they were considering forming or joining one. And in the Bay State, specifically, PCPs (64 percent) were more receptive to ACOs than specialists (59 percent).

The Optum Institute, part of UnitedHealth Group, gathered these results within the first 10 days after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its final rule for the Medicare Shared Savings Program, American Medical News reports.

Considering the timing of the survey, researchers attribute much of physicians' resistance to lack of clarity about how the programs would work, according to amnews. Furthermore, the survey revealed that even among physicians who were familiar with ACOs, less than half (46 percent) overall were aware whether their organization planned to take part in the new model.

Perhaps even more telling: Half (49 percent) of the 600 specialists and 400 PCPs surveyed said they feel "not at all prepared" to accept greater financial risk for managing patient care, according to the Optum report. Although Medicare's final ACO rule reduced the financial risk physicians would bear, the shift from fee-for-service reimbursement represents a drastic change for most physicians, especially specialists.

To learn more:
- read the report from the Optum Institute for Sustainable Health
- see the article from American Medical News

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