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South Texas Clinical Partners ACO (STCP ACO), a joint venture between Universal Health Services (NYSE: UHS) and participating providers, announces its 2021 ACO results with more than $9.5 million in savings to Medicare and more than $7 million in earnings for its participating physicians.

Prominence Health Plan, a subsidiary of UHS, manages seven Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) throughout the United States, including South Texas’ STCP ACO, and these results continue its trend of increased cost savings to Medicare and improved quality for patients.

“The healthcare industry has been slow to transform away from fee-for-service, but value-based care and the ACO models have provided a guideline to focus on the delivery of high-quality patient care and outcomes within the primary care setting,” said Dr. Monzer Yazji, STCP ACO. “Primary care providers (PCPs) have realized they are at the center of value-based patient management and leadership. We continue to grow, learn and embrace the dynamics of preventive care and personalized medicine.”

In 2021, there were a total of 477 Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) ACOs in the country. STCP ACO ranked #1 for Texas based ACOs and in the top 5 for multi-state Texas ACOs with a savings rate at 9.5% below benchmark with $9.5 million in total savings.

An ACO is a group of physicians who join in an effort to reduce costs and increase quality for patients. Within the MSSP, providers can earn back part of the savings they generate for Medicare by hitting pre-determined spending goals. In 2013, CMS established the ACO program to improve the quality of care for traditional fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries and to lower overall Medicare costs. An ACO must achieve and report high-quality results to be eligible to share in applicable earned savings. STCP ACO providers work diligently to deliver excellent care while reducing overutilization and costs.

STCP ACO provides services and resources to its participating practices to aid in providing high-quality care. Resources include notifying the practice when its patient is registered at an emergency room or admitted or discharged from the hospital, as well as coordinating care of the patient post discharge. STCP ACO also identifies resources and opportunities for increasing revenue to the practice while reducing overall costs. STCP ACO provides a staff of Quality Coordinators, dedicated to each practice, who aid in quality reporting required by CMS, and update the practice regarding CMS rules and regulations.

STCP ACO is currently comprised of 47 medical practices, with over 10,000 attributed beneficiaries throughout the state of Texas. STCP ACO looks forward to continued success in assisting its participants in providing high quality care while reducing Medicare costs.

About South Texas Clinical Partners ACO

South Texas Clinical Partners was formed in 2017 by a group of local primary care providers with a goal to elevate collaborative, patient-centered, preventive healthcare across South Texas including the Rio Grande Valley and Laredo. Today, STCP ACO includes more than 47 physician practices and over 300 providers who manage the care of over 10,000 Medicare patients across South Texas.