Information for Patients Whose Doctcor is Participating Balance ACO
What’sAn Accountable Care Organization (ACO)?
  • A Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOis a group of doctors and other health care providers who voluntarilywork together with Medicare to give you high quality service and care at the right time in the right setting.
  • An ACO is not a Medicare Advantage Plan,(like an HMO or PPO), or an insurance plan.
  • ACOs don’t change your Medicare benefits.
How Will An ACO Help My Doctor Coordinate My Care?
  • Your doctors will have a more complete picture of your health through talking with your other doctors.
  • To help you get better, more coordinated care, Medicare will share certain health information with us about the care you get from your doctors and other health care providers unless you ask Medicarenot to share it.Medicare may also share your health information with other ACOs in which your other doctors or health care providers participate.
  • Your doctor may continue to recommend that you see particular doctors for your specific health needs, but it’s always your choice about what doctors you see or hospitals you visit.
What Do I Need To Do?
  • If you want Medicare to share information about the health care you received with Balance ACO or with other ACOs in which your other doctors or health care providers participate, there’s nothing more you need to do.
  • If you do not want Medicare to share your health care information,you need to call1-800 MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and tell the representative that your doctor is part of an ACO and you don’t want Medicare to share your health care information. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.
  • If you change your mind in the future, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE and tell the representative what you have decided. We can’t communicate with Medicare on your behalf.
  • Even if you decline to share your health care information, Medicare will still use your information for some purposes, like assessingthe financial and quality of care performance of the providers participating in ACOs.Also, Medicare may share some of your health care information with ACOs when measuring the quality of care given by health care providers participating in those ACOs.
Additonal Questions?

If you have questions or concerns, call us at (212) 567-1104 or we can discuss them next time you’re in your doctor’s office. At that time, you may request a copy of our Beneficiary Information Notice that offers more information about ACOs and care coordination. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE and tell the representative you’re calling to learn more about ACOs, or visit Medicare.gov/acos.html