Accountable care organizations: legal concerns

The Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) shared savings program has serious concerns about anti-trust and anti-fraud laws. Additionally, ACOs present several other legal concerns relating to the duties and responsibilities of the physician-hospital partnership. The federal regulations hold physicians who participate in the ACO shared savings program to the highest standards of care without offering them protection from liability. The structure and procedures required of ACOs may be detrimental and may significantly impact the liability of its contracting physicians. Therefore, it behooves physicians to obtain legal advice regarding one's estate planning and legal asset protection or wealth management techniques, and to thoroughly review the agreement with one's attorney before signing a contract with an ACO.