Identifying the characteristics of successful collaborations between medical groups and health insurers in accountable-care-organization programs

Focusing on the Aetna Medicare Provider Collaboration and using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), the researchers explored which configurations of medical group characteristics and the characteristics of group-insurer collaborations are most likely to lead to success based on various outcome measures. The goal of this project was to assist medical group leaders, public and private payers, and policymakers in the development of ACO contracts and improvement of ACO programs.