LHS Health Network Chosen to Participate for Second Year in Next Generation Accountable Care Organization Model

Lourdes Health System (LHS) Health Network, a member of Trinity Health and Trinity Health ACO (THACO), will continue to participate in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS’s) Next Generation ACO Model for a second year.

Next Generation ACOs are Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs) designed to pay providers based on the quality of care given to Medicare beneficiaries, rather than the quantity of care, as in many fee-for-service models. LHS has also participated in the Medicare Shared Savings Program with CMS for the past three years.

“Our continued inclusion in this year's cohort confirms the successful direction we chose three years ago when Lourdes established one of the first ACOs in the region,” said Alexander J. Hatala, President & CEO of Lourdes Health System and a member of the ACO's governing body. “Through the LHS Health Network and Trinity Health, we have demonstrated that hospitals and independent physicians can work together to achieve the three-part aim of better health, better care and lower costs."

“Our provider network has worked diligently to improve patient care while reducing costs through our participation in these initiatives,” said Jennifer Schwartz, President, LHS Health Network. “We are excited to build on our successes and ensure that patients get the right care at the right time through coordinated care.”

The Next Generation ACO is a Model where groups of physicians and other health care providers voluntarily work together with Medicare to provide high quality services to Medicare beneficiaries while assuming greater levels of financial risk. Comprised of providers from across New Jersey, Illinois, Ohio and Michigan, Trinity Health ACO was one of only 21 ACOs originally approved for participation in 2016.

For more information on the Next Generation ACO Model, please visit the Next Generation ACO Model web page at: https://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/Next-Generation-ACO-Model/or the Trinity Health ACO web page at http://www.trinityhealthaco.org/aco. For more information about Trinity Health, please visit www.trinity-health.org.

About LHS Health Network

Initiated in 2013, the LHS Health Network is made up of primary care physicians and specialists located in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Mercer New Jersey counties. Affiliated with Lourdes Health System and St. Francis Medical Center (Trenton), the LHS Health Network is dedicated to partnering with private and governmental payers to achieve better health and outcomes at lower costs for its communities. The Network partners with Horizon, Aetna, AmeriHealth, and CMS in value-based programs aimed at achieving the highest quality results while reducing the overall cost of health care. With its physician partners, the LHS Health Network currently manages the health of over 72,000 individuals. For more information on the LHS Health Network visit http://www.lhsaco.com.