About Us About ACOs: Shared Savings Program The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has established a Medicare Shared Savings Program (Shared Savings Program) to facilitate coordination and cooperation among providers to improve the quality of care for Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) beneficiaries and reduce unnecessary costs. Eligible providers, hospitals, and suppliers may participate in the Shared Savings Program by creating or participating in an Accountable Care Organization (ACO). The Shared Savings Program is designed to improve beneficiary outcomes and increase value of care by: • Promoting accountability for the care of Medicare FFS beneficiaries • Requiring coordinated care for all services provided under Medicare FFS • Encouraging investment in infrastructure and redesigned care processes The Shared Savings Program will reward ACOs that lower their growth in health care costs while meeting performance standards on quality of care and putting patients first. Participation in an ACO is purely voluntary. For additional information on Medicare’s Shared Savings Program, please visit: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/sharedsavingsprogram/index.html How ACOs work • Local health care providers and hospitals volunteer to work together to provide you with coordinated care. • The doctors and other providers who are helping care for you will communicate with each other, and partner with you in making health care decisions. • You may spend less time filling out medical history paper work because your doctors may already have this information in an electronic health record. • You’ll likely have fewer repeated medical tests because your doctors and hospitals will share information and coordinate your care. • You’ll be in the center of care, and your doctors will be better able to keep you informed, and to keep listening and honoring your choices. • Unlike HMOs, managed care, or some insurance plans, an ACO can't tell you which health care providers to see and can't change your Medicare benefits.   How ACOs share information • Your doctors use data from Medicare to help improve how they provide care. For example, your doctors will get your medical information from Medicare to help them to know your medical history, including your medical conditions, prescriptions, and visits to the doctor, and give you the right care at the right time in the right setting. • Doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers working together in an ACO are able to read your medical records, along with other office staff authorized to help coordinate your care. • The privacy and security of your medical information is protected by federal law. You'll continue to get the same rights enjoyed by all people with Medicare.

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