MSSP Final Rule 'Small Step in the Right Direction', Says NAACOS

The National Association of Accountable Care Organizations is generally disappointed with the final rule for the Medicare Shared Savings Program, but sees a couple of positive changes, the nonprofit said Friday.

The 2017 final rule "is a small step in the right direction, but there's still a long way to go in terms of improving the MSSP overall," says Allison Brennan, vice president of policy for NAACOS.

Highlights of the 2017 MSSP final rule, which was released last week, include significant changes to how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services set the spending benchmark that draws the line for earning shared savings and inducements for ACOs to take on two-sided risk.

MSSP features three-year agreements between CMS and ACOs. Healthcare providers have the option to pick one of three tracks in the shared savings program.