Virus Sidelines Medicare’s Push for Value-Based Care (1)

New federal guidance could offer Medicare provider groups up to $25 million to help offset their losses due to the Covid-19 emergency.

About 100 accountable care organizations, the groups of doctors and hospitals that provide coordinated care for beneficiaries, will each have $150,000 to $200,000 in year-end penalties waived under new interim regulations issued this week by the Medicare agency.

ACOs are given a spending target, or benchmark, at the start of the year. If they save Medicare money compared to that benchmark, they may share in some of the savings. If they exceed that benchmark, they’re required to pay ...