Dive Brief:
- A New Jersey based independent physician association, East Brunswick, N.J.-based Partners in Care, has launched an ACO with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.
- The ACO, which connects 51 physician practices throughout the state, covers about 20,000 of Horizon's members.
- As part of the ACO, Horizon will pay providers for care coordination; also, ACO practices can share in any savings achieved by the entity if they meet key health improvement, patient satisfaction and cost goals, according to Becker's Hospital Review.
Dive Insight:
When I first began to write about ACOs, the action was driven by health systems and physician practices. Now, it seems that I hear about a new payer/physician ACO launch every day. Without a doubt, health systems will continue to form ACOs with medical practices, but as I've noted previously, if they don't move quickly, they may find that a payer has already locked down relationship with their preferred partners. Now, the question is whether payers and provider groups can work together effectively without stepping on each others' toes.