What works for an accountable care organization?

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announced plans to spend up to $1.2 million on case studies of private-market accountable care organizations.

The foundation said it would award up to $400,000 each for as many as three projects to study how markets may help or hinder accountable care organizations and ACO results in four areas: quality, cost, patient experience and health disparities.

To qualify as an accountable care organization in the study, an ACO must operate in the private market.

Commercial insurers, doctors and hospitals have reached private accountable care deals as federal officials moved to adopt the fledgling model under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Medicare launched accountable care in January and has entered into 154 contracts with medical groups and hospitals that offer providers who meet quality and cost-control targets a share of the savings.

An ACO included in a RWJF case study must also use a risk-based payment model, measure quality and be responsible for the health for a select group of individuals. The foundation said safety net ACOs were of particular interest.

Grants will begin in March 2013.

You can follow Melanie Evans on Twitter: @MHmevans.