62% Of ACOs Launched In 2012 Implemented Behavioral Health Initiatives

Of 69 organizations participating in the Medicare accountable care organization (ACO) demonstration programs from 2012 through 2015, 62% launched some type of behavioral health-specific initiative. The ACOs were participating in the Pioneer (19), Shared Savings Program (20), and Advance Payment ACO (30) models. Of the 69 organizations, 43 implemented initiatives to integrate or strengthen access to behavioral health services.

These findings were reported in “The Impact Of Medicare ACOs On Improving Integration And Coordination Of Physical And Behavioral Health Care” by Catherine A. Fullerton, Rachel M. Henke, Erica Crable, Andriana Hohlbauch, and Nicholas Cummings. The researchers analyzed data from . . .