LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS


The Texas twist State lawmakers put their own spin on ACOs


Gov. Rick Perry signs Senate Bill 7 into law on July 18. Joining him are, left to right, Texas Health and Human Services Commissioner Tom Suehs; state Rep. John Zerwas, MD; Dianne Edmondson, Republican National Coalition for Life; Joe Pojman, Texas Alliance for Life; Dan Stultz, MD, Texas Hospital Association; Meredith Delk, Amerigroup; John Flores, MD, Denton County Medical Society; Kandice Sanaie, Texas Association of Business; Sen. Jane Nelson; and Joel Allison, Baylor Healthcare System.


“SB 7 provides state-based


solutions to rising health care costs.”


BY KEN ORTOLON


The accountable care organization (ACO) rapidly is becoming


the trendy new health care delivery model of the decade. ACOs are supposed to tie physician and other provider payments to improved patient care and reduced health care costs. While many large physician groups and hospital systems across the country have already begun creating ACOs, many physi- cians view ACOs with a hefty dose of skepticism. That is especially true of the Medicare ACO program being set up under President


September 2011 TEXAS MEDICINE 31


MARJORIE COTERA


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