Denver Post (CO) (01/09/12) Booth, Michael
A platform for healthcare reform has been launched in Colorado with U.S. approval of Physician Health Partners' (PHP) accountable care organization (ACO). Colorado was one of 32 partnerships that received approval last month. Supporters say that these new partnerships will improve coordination of care while saving Medicare money. The doctor and hospital groups that improve quality while reducing projected costs for a given group of Medicare patients will be able to share the savings with the government. Medicare patients can cost between $5,000 and $10,000 a year to treat; the 27,500 patients expected to participate in the Colorado partnership could bring millions of dollars in bonuses if PHP achieves the cost reductions and quality improvements. PHP is adding nurses, social workers, and new software to track hospital discharges, follow up with patients, or check on conflicting medicines. Patient advocates and health analysts have expressed hope that such ACOs will spread throughout Medicare and be adopted into the private system.

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