ACOs Continue to Improve Quality and Generate Financial Savings, Says CMS

​Medicare accountable care organizations (ACOs) continued to improve the quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries, while also generating financial savings, in 2015, according to an August 25, 2016, press release from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The 12 "Pioneer" ACOs, which are now in their fourth year in the program, saw their mean quality score increase from 87.2% in year 3 to 92.26% in year 4. The Pioneer ACO Model is "designed for health care organizations and providers that are already experienced in coordinating care for patients across care settings." The mean quality score among the Pioneer ACOs has increased every year, a total of 21 percentage points since the first year. Nine of the 12 Pioneer ACOs had quality scores above 90%.