CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 13, 2024 – Advocate Health’s affiliated accountable care organizations (ACOs) generated $135.7 million in savings in 2023 by achieving strong quality results and lowering costs through two of the top federal value-based care programs.
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that Advocate Health’s affiliated ACOs generated $128.6 million in savings through the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) and $7.1 million through ACO REACH, a program focused on health equity. Advocate Health is once again one of the top performing integrated health systems in the country, reaching nearly $898.1 million in savings since 2012 through various CMS programs.
“Advocate Health will continue to build on these results to make our high-quality care more affordable and accessible for our patients, transforming the delivery of health care for the better,” Advocate Health Chief Physician Executive Dr. Scott Rissmiller said. “We are proud to continue leading the way forward in value-based care.”
When an ACO – a group of doctors, hospitals and other providers that form networks to coordinate patient care – demonstrates that it has achieved certain quality and cost-reduction benchmarks, it is rewarded with a share in the savings generated for Medicare.
While each program is unique, some key tactics include:
- Robust care management and clinical programs help support patients in managing their chronic conditions.
- Automated technology to engage our patients after a hospital stay to reduce readmissions and avoidable emergency department visits.
- Additional wrap-around and care transition services to ensure all patients have the best possible care and outcomes.
“Relentlessly closing care gaps and managing chronic conditions helped keep our patients out of the hospital, leading to both more healthy days with their families and overall cost savings,” Advocate Health Chief Population Health Officer Don Calcagno said. “Thank you to our physicians, advanced practice colleagues, nurses and teammates, whose expertise and commitment make a meaningful difference in our patients’ quality of life.”
To make that difference, these care teams are supported by a top network of care managers, social workers, pharmacists and other health care professionals. They all work together to help patients manage their chronic conditions by staying in consistent touch with patients and their families. These experts help people overcome barriers that might prevent access to medications, specialty visits or other care that they need, and serve as a support network as patients take steps to make healthy lifestyle changes.
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About Advocate Health
Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.
The statements contained in this document are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of CMS. The authors assume responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in this document.