Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): Medicare ACO Track 1+ Model

The Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Track 1+ model is a specific type of Medicare ACO that is designed to provide care to Medicare beneficiaries while also incentivizing healthcare providers to improve the overall quality of care and reduce costs.

In a Medicare ACO, healthcare providers come together to form a network that provides coordinated care to Medicare beneficiaries. The providers work together to manage the overall health of their patients, with the goal of improving the quality of care while reducing costs.

The Track 1+ model is a variation of the standard Medicare ACO model, with some additional features designed to promote cost savings and quality of care. It is designed for smaller or newer organizations that want to participate in the Medicare ACO program.

The key features of the Medicare ACO Track 1+ model include:

Shared Savings: This means that the ACO will share in any savings achieved through improved care coordination and cost management, as long as it meets certain quality performance standards.

Limited downside financial risk: The ACO will only be at financial risk for a small portion of their savings threshold.

Downside risk ramp-up: It gives ACO the opportunity to gradually take on more financial risk over time.

Reduced data reporting requirements: ACO’s are required to report less data than in other models.

Access to advanced tools and technical assistance to support care coordination and quality improvement.

The Track 1+ Model also allows ACO to provide additional benefits to beneficiaries such as telehealth, home-based primary care, and care coordination.

Overall, the Medicare ACO Track 1+ model is designed to encourage healthcare providers to work together more effectively to improve the quality of care and reduce costs for Medicare beneficiaries. By providing additional support and incentives, the model aims to attract smaller and newer organizations to the Medicare ACO program and help them to succeed in their efforts to improve care coordination and reduce costs.