Bluestone ACO Delivers Excellent Care to Medically Complex & Elderly Patients, Saves Medicare $26.6 Million

Stillwater, Minn., Sept. 7, 2023 — Bluestone Accountable Care Organization (ACO) has achieved remarkable success in 2022, improving care for 6,488 Medicare beneficiaries in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Florida, and saving Medicare $26,620,895 by meeting quality and cost goals. Still in its initial contract period, Bluestone ACO was the best performing ACO in the country as measured by the overall savings per beneficiary, according to recently released data from the federal agency that administers Medicare. The organization also had the 6th highest savings rate among all ACOs.

The $26,620,895 of gross savings to Medicare resulted in $13,044,239 of shared savings payments to Bluestone ACO, which will be reinvested in Bluestone’s comprehensive care model for complex patients who are managing multiple chronic conditions.

In addition to Bluestone’s success in overall savings, other key performance highlights include:

• Excellence in Clinical Quality Measures – Bluestone ACO stands as a top performer in three electronic clinical quality measures: A1c Diabetes Management, Depression Screening, and Controlling High Blood Pressure.
• Management of Complex Patient Populations – Bluestone ACO effectively managed the most medically complex patient population, as indicated by Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) scores, simultaneously achieving a readmission rate of just 15%.
• Consistent Improvement – Since joining the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in 2020, Bluestone ACO has increased its overall savings rate by 5 basis points each year.

“We couldn’t be prouder of our outstanding results. The Bluestone team is dedicated to the continuous pursuit of great outcomes that matter to our patients and their families. We have raised the bar every year since joining MSSP, and will execute on a plan to continue to excel,” said CEO of Bluestone Physician Services, Dr. Rajiv Patel. “I want to take this opportunity to thank our partners in care, and most importantly, every individual on the Bluestone team that made these results possible.”