Acos trigger activity by consumers, providers

As Reuters reports, consumers will actively have to seek out providers who are participating in this new delivery system model, and the Miami Herald checks in on how the idea is working in Florida.

Reuters: Better Healthcare For Less Money, If You Can Find It
Consumers intrigued by the new model of accountable healthcare - which promises better-coordinated care that could save lots of money - are going to have to actively seek out participating providers. A tenet of accountable care is better quality: doctors are paid to keep patients healthy, rather than for treating them when they are sick (Pinsker, 7/23).

Miami Herald: Florida Providers Jump On ACO Bandwagon
In concept, the coordinated medical care that Rivera receives is nothing new, containing some of the familiar components of traditional health maintenance organizations, such as reducing unneeded medical procedures and careful selection of providers who will work for pre-negotiated rates. But Rivera's doctor belongs to a group that has applied to become an accountable care organization or ACO -; a creation of the Affordable Care Act that policy makers say will improve the quality of medical care and lower costs by financially rewarding providers who can demonstrate that they keep their patients healthy at less expense (Chang, 7/24).