ACO/MSSP Information

“ACO” stands for “Accountable Care Organization,” and “MSSP” for “Medicare Shared Savings Program.”

As the MSSP FAQ states:

• “ACOs are groups of doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers who come together voluntarily to give coordinated, high quality care to the Medicare patients they serve.”

• “The Medicare Shared Savings Program is a national program that ACOs can participate in run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It is a care coordination program designed specifically for Medicare patients and sponsored by Medicare.”

• “ACOs enter into an agreement with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to be accountable for the quality, cost, and overall care of traditional fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries who may be aligned with it. When an ACO succeeds in both delivering high-quality care and spending health care dollars more efficiently, it will share in the savings it achieves for the Medicare program. ACOs that earn a bonus may use the payment to invest more in [patient] care, or share a portion directly with [participating] providers. ACOs may owe a penalty if their care increases costs.”

• “CMS has various requirements for ACOs that are participating in MSSP. These requirements include that every practice participating in our MSSP program displays the poster, which is provided by CMS. They also require that every practice displaying this poster has the notification letter available for beneficiaries, should they ask for it.”

• Display posters and, upon request, provide letters about the ACO. These documents supply information for beneficiaries explaining what an ACO is, what MSSP is, and what participation in the program means for them.
  • Updated posters and letters were last distributed in late January 2021. These refer to Mass General Brigham rather than Partners HealthCare. Please replace older versions with the latest ones.
  • Click to download copies of the letters in English and Spanish.
  • Click to download copies of the posters in English and Spanish.
    • These posters each span two letter-size (8.5×11″) pages. The two pages should be hung next to one another.
    • Click to download a one-page copy of the English poster that will fit a single legal-size (8.5×14″) sheet.

• Direct any patients with questions or complaints to the Mass General Brigham Medicare ACO Hotline at 1-800-229-0384.

• If patients would like to opt out of data sharing, direct them to call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).