MA ACOs produced 'spillover' savings

(Reuters Health) - A program focused on primary care and coordination of services between groups of doctors and hospitals reduced costs for patients who were not even covered by the plan, according to a new study. Previous research has found that the Massachusetts accountable care organization, or ACO, saved money and improved quality of care for people it covered directly. ACOs are a critical component of President Barack Obama's 2010 Affordable Care Act. The organizations are typically paid based on the quality rather than quantity of care they provide, and the hope is that they will coordinate services and prevent excess spending.