What Is an Accountable Care Organization (ACO)?
An ACO is a group of doctors and other health care providers who voluntarily work together with Medicare to give you high quality service and care at the right time, in the right settings. West Front Primary Care P.L.L.C. is participating in Northern Michigan Health Network, a Medicare shared saving program ACO.
ACO is not a Medicare Advantage Plan or an insurance plan.
ACOs don’t change your Medicare benefits.
How will an ACO help my doctor coordinate my care?
- Your doctors will have a more complete picture of your health through talking with your other care providers.
- To help you get better, an ACO provides more coordinated care. Medicare will share with WFPC certain information about the care you get from your other health care providers, unless you ask Medicare not to share it.
- West Front Primary Care may recommend that you see particular doctors for your specific health needs. It’s always your choice about what doctors you see or hospitals you visit.
What do I need to do?
- If you want Medicare to share information about the health care you receive with your Northern Michigan Health Network or with other ACOs in which your health care providers participate, there’s nothing more you need to do.
- If you do not want Medicare to share your health care information in this way, you need to call 1-800-Medicare (1-800-633-4227) and tell the representative that your WFPC provider is part of an ACO, but you don’t want Medicare to share your health care information. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048
Questions?
If you have questions or concerns, call 1-844-242-2473, or we can discuss them the next time you’re in our office. At anytime, you may request a copy of our Beneficiary Information Notice that offers more information about ACOs and care coordination.