An Accountable Care Organization is a group of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers who agree to work together to give you improved health services and care. The ACO supports your doctor by making sure they have the most up-to-date information about your health care and services. In addition, the ACO can provide your doctor increased access to the expertise, staff, and technology needed to make sure your care is coordinated across all the places you get services. This is important to help you get the right care at the right time and to keep you healthy.

You will see signage in your provider's office informing you of our ACO, if your doctor or health care provider has elected to participate in the Lancaster General Health Community Care Collaborative — a care coordination program from Medicare. The goal of the Lancaster General Health CCC is to provide you with improved coordinated care across care settings including hospital stays, doctors’ offices, rehabilitative centers, and long-term care facilities.

If you still are not sure if your doctor has elected to participate in an ACO, just ask at your next primary care visit.

For the purpose of care coordination, Medicare will share certain information about your medical care with your doctor and the ACO, including medical conditions, prescriptions, hospital stays and doctor visits. This is important so that your doctor will have the information needed to track the services you have already received, understand where you may need more care, and find ways to smooth the path for you if you have to transfer in or out of a hospital, or from the care of one doctor to another. For you, this care coordination could mean less paperwork to fill out at the doctor’s office, avoiding unnecessary tests, or more help for you in dealing with any health conditions.

No. Your Medicare benefits and the cost of your coverage are not changing. You still have the right to choose to receive care from any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare, at any time.

You will continue to receive the same rights enjoyed by all people with ‘Fee for Service’ Medicare. Since your right to privacy remains very important, Medicare and the Lancaster General Health CCC have put safeguards in place to make sure all your health information is protected. Also, Medicare will not share any information about alcohol and drug treatment history, if you have received such treatment, unless you choose in writing to share it.

Yes. You will continue to be able to see any doctor or health care provider who accepts Medicare.

It is important to understand that your doctor, not you, is participating in the Accountable Care Organization, so you do not need to take any additional steps unless you choose not to allow Medicare to share your information for the purposes of care coordination.

You can choose to prevent Medicare from sharing your general health information for the purpose of care coordination with your doctor and the ACO by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227). TTY users should call 877-486-2048.

If you choose to prevent Medicare from sharing your health information with your doctor and The Lancaster General Health CCC, Medicare needs to be notified of your decision. However, if you do not decline now, you can choose to decline at any time in the future.

Yes. Simply call 1-800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227) and tell them that you have changed your mind, and that you do want your data shared.