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What’s the Difference Between ACOs and “AC-Like” Arrangements?

A lot. AC-Like arrangements will be MUCH simpler to create and maintain.

The health care market is moving toward accountable care. There are at least two broad paths forward:

1) Formal Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) by which care providers contract with Medicare

2) Informal Accountable Care-Like (AC-Like) arrangements between care providers and commercial health plans

What are the differences between these routes? I see at least 5 factors at play:

  • Transaction costs
  • Timing
  • Incrementalism
  • Flexibility
  • Capital cost

1) Transaction Costs

ACO —  Everyone needs their own attorney, including one for the new yet-to-be-created ACO entity. Expect to pay people during months of negotiations. Anticipate formal board meetings, minutes, white china.

Want to form an AC-Like arrangement? Gather people in a room and have a meeting. Paper plates and plastic cups. Yes, you’ll still need the lawyers to write up a contract.

2) Timing

ACO — Anticipate months of negotiation with partners to form the ACO. Anticipate months of negotiation with Medicare to hammer out a contract.

AC-Like arrangement — theoretically it could all be done in an afternoon.

3) Incrementalism

ACO — Want to start small with an experiment? Sorry, Medicare has a long list of take-it-or-leave-it conditions in all their ACO models.

AC-Like arrangement — want to start with an experiment, e.g., putting nurse care managers in primary care physician offices? Pick up the phone and start negotiating.

4) Flexibility

ACO — Want to change something about your ACO internal structure? Start digging into the ACO by-laws. Want to change your contract with Medicare? Sorry, your deal runs for 3 years..

AC-Like arrangement — pick up the phone and start renegotiating.

5) Capital Costs

ACO — The American Hospital Association estimated that capital costs could range from $11–26 million.

AC-Like arrangement — won’t be cheap, but will depend greatly on what you plan to do.

The bottom line: AC-Like arrangements between commercial health plans and care providers will be MUCH simpler to create and maintain.

ADDENDUM: A 6th difference between ACOs and AC-Like arrangements: click here

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. Feel free to republish this post with attribution.

20 Comments

  1. Vince Kuraitis on March 9, 2012 at 4:50 pm

    What's the Difference Beteween ACOs and "AC-Like" Arrangements? http://t.co/6C3kuidv #ACO #HCR



  2. Gregg Masters on March 9, 2012 at 4:52 pm

    RT @VinceKuraitis: What's the Difference Beteween ACOs and "AC-Like" Arrangements? http://t.co/ACZBHYRj #ACO #HCR #amga12



  3. Mike Wisz on March 9, 2012 at 4:54 pm

    RT @VinceKuraitis: What's the Difference Beteween ACOs and "AC-Like" Arrangements? http://t.co/ACZBHYRj #ACO #HCR #amga12



  4. Janice McCallum on March 9, 2012 at 5:26 pm

    RT @VinceKuraitis: What's the Difference Beteween ACOs and "AC-Like" Arrangements? http://t.co/AXK3AWud #ACO #HCR



  5. David Williams on March 9, 2012 at 5:26 pm

    RT @VinceKuraitis: What's the Difference Beteween ACOs and "AC-Like" Arrangements? http://t.co/AXK3AWud #ACO #HCR



  6. Netspective Health on March 9, 2012 at 6:08 pm

    What’s the Difference Between ACOs and “AC-Like” Arrangements? http://t.co/tjWzwHSC #HIT #HealthIT



  7. Aparna M K on March 9, 2012 at 6:08 pm

    What’s the Difference Between ACOs and “AC-Like” Arrangements? | e-CareManagement Blog http://t.co/htYT9meM



  8. Aparna M K on March 9, 2012 at 6:08 pm

    What’s the Difference Between ACOs and “AC-Like” Arrangements? | e-CareManagement Blog http://t.co/sTd0aQPI



  9. KentBottles on March 9, 2012 at 6:29 pm

    RT @VinceKuraitis: What's the Difference Beteween ACOs and "AC-Like" Arrangements? http://t.co/AXK3AWud #ACO #HCR



  10. Perficient Health IT on March 9, 2012 at 8:05 pm

    What’s the Difference Between #ACOs and “AC-Like” Arrangements? http://t.co/aTu61G1t #HealthIT #HITsm



  11. 3MHealthInformation on March 9, 2012 at 8:09 pm

    RT @Perficient_HC: What’s the Difference Between #ACOs and “AC-Like” Arrangements? http://t.co/ScDkrwFe #HealthIT #HITsm



  12. Mike Spakowski on March 9, 2012 at 8:10 pm

    What’s the Difference Between #ACOs and “AC-Like” Arrangements? http://t.co/aTu61G1t #HealthIT #HITsm



  13. Nadja Specht on March 9, 2012 at 8:25 pm

    What's the Difference Between ACOs and "AC-Like" Arrangements? http://t.co/Q6gelP0l via @VinceKuraitis #ACO #hc



  14. Perficient Health IT on March 9, 2012 at 8:38 pm

    Thanks @3MHISNews! RT @Perficient_HC: What’s the Difference Between #ACOs and “AC-Like” Arrangements? http://t.co/aTu61G1t #HealthIT #HITsm



  15. Perficient Health IT on March 9, 2012 at 8:43 pm

    Thx @mspako! RT @perficient_HC: What’s the Difference Between #ACOs and “AC-Like” Arrangements? http://t.co/aTu61G1t #HealthIT #HITsm



  16. Brian Urban on March 9, 2012 at 8:44 pm

    Thx @mspako! RT @perficient_HC: What’s the Difference Between #ACOs and “AC-Like” Arrangements? http://t.co/aTu61G1t #HealthIT #HITsm



  17. Amnon Keynan on March 10, 2012 at 1:11 pm

    RT @VinceKuraitis: What's the Difference Between ACOs and "AC-Like" Arrangements? http://t.co/6lR5lxVh



  18. David May on March 10, 2012 at 1:21 pm

    RT @VinceKuraitis eCaremanagement blog.re #ACO versus ACO like arrangements. Cogitate thoughtfully: very attractive http://t.co/gEvjXYk8



  19. Erik Pupo on March 10, 2012 at 6:22 pm

    What’s the Difference Between ACOs and “AC-Like” Arrangements? http://t.co/YW6JaAqk a lot



  20. Michael Crosnick on March 13, 2012 at 9:25 pm

    What’s the Difference Between ACOs and “AC-Like” Arrangements? http://t.co/VYdjH53Z via @VinceKuraitis