Summit Health Announces Participation in 2022 Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organization

Newly Establishes ‘Cascades Healthcare Network ACO’ in Central Oregon to Continue its Commitment to High Quality, Person-Centered Health Care at Lower Costs

BEND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Continuing its long-standing commitment to providing high quality care at a lower cost to patients, Summit Health today announced its participation in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2022 Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). In Oregon, Summit Health has launched the Cascades Healthcare Network ACO to build on its experience and success as a Next Generation Accountable Care Organization, and its commitment to primary care transformation and population health.

ACOs are serving a growing patient population, and CMS projects that more than 11 million people with Medicare will be served by Shared Savings Program ACOs in 2022. CMS announced that 66 new ACOs joined the program, and 140 existing ACOs renewed their participation for a new agreement period starting January 1, 2022. This brings the total number of ACOs in the Shared Savings Program to 483 in 2022.

“Participation in the ACO model exemplifies Summit Health’s constant commitment to quality health outcomes and bettering the patient experience,” says Dr. Russell Massine, Chief Medical Officer for Summit Health. “We have invested in our care teams and infrastructure to ensure that our Medicare patients receive coordinated and responsive care in a compassionate environment.”

It’s important for patients to know that ACOs do not change any of their Medicare benefits and do not limit their choice of health care providers. ACO patients still have the right to visit any doctor, hospital, or other provider that accepts Medicare at any time, even if that hospital or doctor isn’t a part of an ACO.

ACOs are held accountable for performance on outcomes, patient experience measures, and cost of care for Medicare beneficiaries. Better care at a lower cost is accomplished through integrated care with all health care providers working as a team. The Medicare Shared Savings Program makes data on ACOs publicly available. Find the most recent data on Data.CMS.gov.

About Summit Health

Summit Health is a physician-driven, patient-centric network committed to simplifying the complexities of health care and bringing a more connected kind of care. Formed by the 2019 merger between Summit Medical Group, one of the nation's premier independent physician-governed multispecialty medical groups, and CityMD, the leading urgent care provider in the New York metro area, Summit Health delivers a more intuitive, comprehensive, and responsive care experience for every stage of life and health condition through high-quality primary, specialty, and urgent care. Summit Health has more than 2,500 providers, 12,000 employees, and over 340 locations in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Central Oregon. For more information, please visit https://www.smgoregon.com/.