Mercy ranks among nation’s top ACOs, saves $102 million in 2024
KBSI FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
ST. LOUIS (KBSI) — Mercy’s focus on preventive care and patient-centered treatment has once again produced significant results, saving taxpayers more than $100 million, according to the latest Accountable Care Organization (ACO) data released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Mercy’s ACO ranks among the top five in the nation for patients served and recorded $102 million in taxpayer savings in 2024, an increase of $7 million from the previous year. Over the past seven years, Mercy’s coordinated care approach has saved taxpayers a total of $462 million.
Of the 10 largest ACOs in the country, Mercy ranks third in quality of care, and it holds the top ranking in the communities it serves. CMS evaluates more than 30 quality measures, including care coordination, patient safety, preventive health services, outcomes for at-risk populations, and patient and caregiver satisfaction.
“We put the patient first in all we do, with the goal of keeping patients happy, healthy and out of the hospital as much as possible,” said Dr. Gavin Helton, Mercy president of primary care. “Our approach to better health not only results in high quality scores but also lowers costs for everyone.”
Mercy officials credit a strong emphasis on preventive care and primary care access for the results.
“Preventive care is the starting point for every patient, and it’s why we place so much emphasis on providing much-needed primary care for the patients we serve,” said Steve Mackin, Mercy president and CEO. “With our ACO, we’re seeing the enormous positive impact our approach has for our Medicare patients. At Mercy, we provide this same commitment to all the 3 million-plus patients we care for each year across our communities.”
Mercy physicians were among the first in the nation to voluntarily join the ACO model more than a decade ago. To maintain the designation, providers must meet stringent quality standards while delivering coordinated, team-based care that reduces unnecessary costs and improves patient outcomes.
