GREELEY, Colo. (Dec. 20, 2024) — For the fourth year in a row, Banner Network Colorado (BNC) providers delivered exceptional patient care for its more than 7,000 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries while saving Medicare millions of dollars. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Services has released its performance data for Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program for 2023, placing BNC in the top 15% compared to all ACOs nationally.
BNC received a quality score of 90.22% earning high quality scores on performance measures that include diabetes, blood pressure control, breast cancer and prevention of cardiovascular disease, among others.
“These outstanding results are a testament to the exceptional quality of care our physicians provide to our beneficiaries every year,”said Ed Clarke, MD, chief medical officer of Banner Health Plans and Networks. “We have a team of dedicated health care professionals who are not only looking for ways to help reduce costs, but are always focused on the health and well-being of those we service in our local communities.”
A market-based solution to fragmented and costly care, ACOs empower local physicians, hospitalists and other providers to work together and take responsibility for improving quality, enhancing patient experience and keeping care affordable. The shared savings program creates incentives for ACOs to invest in transforming care by allowing them to share in savings they generate after meeting defined quality and cost goals.
To achieve these results, primary care practices and providers within BNC strive to increase the number of Medicare beneficiaries taking advantage of annual wellness visits, including recommended screenings and preventive care. The ACO also focuses on ensuring smooth patient transitions from the hospital to home—or a nursing home if needed.
BNC’s efforts resulted in shared savings of $2.4 million for its participating providers who support care for these Medicare beneficiaries. The shared funds help support the employment of additional in-office resources such as nurses, medical assistants and pharmacists, which helps improve the care being delivered to these patients.
Banner Network Colorado is a provider network that includes more than 300 primary care providers, specialists and three Banner hospitals in Larimer and Weld counties in Northern Colorado’s Front Range. These providers make a commitment to work closely together to coordinate all aspects of a patient’s care, to enhance the patient experience and to improve outcomes.
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