Background
The passage of the ACA has prompted state officials to expand their Medicaid programs with the goal of accommodating more individuals and families with healthcare insurance options. In order to improve the overall system, state officials are looking for new methods to improve delivery of care, augment prevention and disease management, minimize preventable utilization, control costs, and enhance healthcare outcomes (Silow-Carroll, Edwards, & Rodin, 2013). Traditionally, the federal …show more content…
Colorado and Minnesota are utilizing an accountable care organization (ACO) delivery model that devotes medical management and administrative support to provide primary healthcare services and other healthcare needs while containing costs (Silow-Carroll et al., 2013). “A heavy emphasis on care coordination and improved access to appropriate services has succeeded in decreasing unnecessary utilization of higher-cost services” (Silow-Carroll et al., 2013, p. 3). The ACO model assists in delivering the appropriate healthcare services for the Medicaid recipient and minimizing unnecessary, high-cost treatments with the purpose of controlling costs while maintaining quality