AAFP believes that an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) is a primary care-based collaboration of health care professionals and health care facilities that accept joint responsibility and accountability for the quality and cost of care provided to a defined patient population. The core of an ACO is effective primary care, built on the foundation of the Patient-centered Medical Home. Read the AAFP Principles of an Accountable Care Organization (1-page PDF; About PDFs)
In addition, the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians and the American Osteopathic Association developed a set of Joint Principles for Accountable Care Organizations. This allows us to leverage the combined membership of 330,000 physicians to support a set of attributes that we believe are essential for the effective implementation of the ACO model within the healthcare system. Read the Joint Principles for Accountable Care Organizations (3-page PDF; About PDFs)
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Accountable Care Organizations
Our Stance
AAFP Advocacy Activities
- Recent health care reform legislation includes money to pilot ACOs as a means by which to reform the current payment structure that is based on fee-for-service. AAFP is monitoring this activity and advocating for Primary Care as the foundation of any ACO.
- Read the AAFP ACO Task Force Report to the Board, October 2009. (15-page PDF file; About PDFs)
Payment
Medical Specialty Specific Limitations
Accountable Care Organizations
