APMA News - July/August 2012 - (Page 20)

Introducing APMA’s ACO Workgroup CMS is establishing Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) as a coordinated care delivery model that offers financial incentives to doctors and hospitals for providing quality care to Medicare beneficiaries. The goal of ACOs and coordinated care, according to CMS, “is to ensure that patients, especially the chronically ill, get the right care at the right time, while avoiding unnecessary duplication of services and preventing medical error.” In response to this development, as well as general membership needs, APMA Immediate-past President Michael J. King, DPM, established the ACO Task Force (visit www.apma. org/ACOTaskForce) in 2010. The task force was charged with reviewing the proposed ACO regulations, providing comments to CMS on the proposed rule, educating members regarding developments, and monitoring the states for developments in the private sector. To expand upon the foundation created by APMA’s ACO Task Force, APMA has created the ACO Workgroup under the Health Policy Committee, chaired by APMA Past President Lloyd S. Smith, DPM. The workgroup is charged with assisting APMA’s Health Policy Committee and Health Systems Committee in monitoring ACOs or ACO-like products, both in the public and private sectors. The workgroup will establish and direct strategies to monitor public and commercial ACOs, and it will communicate its findings to APMA’s Health Policy Committee, Health Systems Committee, and membership. The goal of the workgroup’s monitoring efforts is to determine the level of DPM participation in ACOs and whether podiatrists who do participate are able to share in risks and The goal of the workgroup’s monitoring efforts is to determine the level of DPM participation in ACOs and whether podiatrists who do participate are able to share in risks and savings on a level commensurate with their MD and DO colleagues. savings on a level commensurate with their MD and DO colleagues. This information also will be used by APMA to assist members in navigating the ACO process. As part of its efforts to monitor public and commercial ACOs, the workgroup also will establish and maintain an ACO Liaison Network, a new network of DPM ACO liaisons in each region or state. These liaisons are members, participating or attempting to participate in public and/or commercial ACOs, who will report their experiences to the ACO workgroup and, in turn, help disseminate information from APMA to members. We need your help in identifying these liaisons. This role should not require any additional significant work or travel on the part of the liaison, because most information would be relayed electronically and would require no or limited travel. If you (or anyone else in your state or region) are either participating or attempting to participate in an ACO, either under CMS or under a commercial plan, and would like to participate in our efforts, please send your name (or the participating individual’s name), e-mail address, and phone number to Jennifer Pike, JD, at jlpike@ apma.org. For more information, visit www.apma.org/ACO. n Joining APHA Is A Wise Investment In Your Future And The Future Of Worldwide Health he American Public Health Association (APHA) is the oldest and most diverse organization of public health professionals in the world and has been working to improve public health since 1872. APHA and its state affiliates represent more than 50,000 health professionals and others who work to promote health, prevent disease, and ensure conditions in which we all can be safe and healthy. T Join The Podiatry Section Today at www.apha.org/about/ membership/ 20 APMA News July/August 2012 Original photograph ©istockphoto.com/Igor Balasanov http://www.apma.org/ACOTaskForce http://www.apma.org/ACOTaskForce http://www.apha.org/about/membership/ http://www.apma.org/ACO

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - July/August 2012

APMA News - July/August 2012
President’s Message
Contents
Innovative, Intuitive, Inventive
Health Policy & Practice Committees Meet to Address Issues Facing Podiatrists
MPMA Instrumental in Uncovering Health-care Fraud
Does the Media Still Matter?
Introducing APMA’s ACO Workgroup
APMA By the Decade
The US House of Representatives Recognizes APMA’s 100th Anniversary
2011 Podiatric Practice Survey
Profiles in Progress
Reimbursement
Federal Advocacy Forum
List of Cosponsors to the Equity and Access for Podiatric Physicians Under Medicaid Act
APMAPAC Chair Report
IT Consultant
Technofile
Get 2012 Annual Scientific Meeting Coverage
Annual Scientific Meeting Preliminary Program
Annual Scientific Meeting Sponsors
Annual Scientific Meeting Registration Form
APMA All Stars
In Short
CPME Invitation for Comments
Worthy of Note
Call for Committee Nominations
Affiliates Corner
List of Affiliated Organizations
Insurance Advisor
Bylaws Propositions Due
New Members
Death Notices
APMAPAC Update
Development Update
Classified Advertising
Dates to Remember
Advertising Index
10 Questions
Your APMA
100th Anniversary Commemorative Section

APMA News - July/August 2012