ACO REACH

Transforming Healthcare through Collaboration, Quality, and Patient Experience

What is an ACO?   Benefits  How do I participate?  Questions

UTMB has partnered with Belong Health ACO to participate in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ACO REACH program (ACO Realized Equity, Access, and Community Health model).

What is an ACO?

  • What is an ACO?

    An ACO, or "accountable care organization," is a team of doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers who work together to coordinate care for patients. ACOs have agreed with Medicare to be accountable for care quality and cost. They were created to help patients have a better care experience.

Additional Services

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How will you benefit from UTMB’s participation in an ACO?

We will help you get the right care at the right time. Healthcare can be confusing. We have a care team who will work with you on your care. Our team may:

  • The UTMB-Belong Health Care Management team will:

    Provide information on what care is needed next, and help set up appointments.
    Make sure there is transportation available to in-person appointments and access to online appointments.
    Make sure that the tests and scheduled appointments are needed.
    Make connections with local services or support.
    Make sure medications are safe to take together.

    Spot health problems before they become serious.

    Provide support after being discharged from an inpatient facility.

    Share health and wellness education.
    Help answer any health care questions.

You may receive even more help with our Benefit Enhancements

We created Benefit Enhancements to provide even more support for our patients. There are three kinds of Benefit Enhancements:

Home Health Homebound Waiver
Post-Discharge Home Visits
Three-Day Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Rule Waiver

The ACO care team will work with your provider to decide if you need any of our Benefit Enhancements.

How do I participate in the ACO REACH?

If you’ve been seeing your UTMB Health primary care provider regularly over recent years and they are part of the ACO REACH program, you may be automatically enrolled.

If you have not received a letter announcing your enrollment, you can request to be enrolled a few ways:

  • Print and return the sign-up form on paper to your UTMB clinic, or mail to:
    • 1800 JFK Blvd Suite 300, PMB 96073
      Philadelphia, PA 19103; or
  • Fill and submit the electronic form online; or
  • Request an attestation form from your primary care provider or use the attestation form you have received from Belong Health ACO by mail or email; or
  • Go to Medicare.gov and choose “login”. You must have an account and login. If you do not have an account you can create one online. Once you are logged in, you must select your doctor’s name and designate them as your primary care provider.
See UTMB Health's Participating Providers
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Questions?

For questions about how the ACO REACH program helps your health, contact your health care professional.

Learn more about Belong Health ACO & Public Disclosure

Organization Information

UTMB Health's Governing Body

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  • Board Members
    Board MemberRoleUTMB Role
    Carlos Clark, DOExecutive LeaderCMIO
    Peter Cram, MD, MBAInternal Medicine RepresentativeChair, Department of Internal Medicine
    Michael Nguyen, MDInternal Medicine RepresentativeVice Chair for Community Clinical Programs - Outpatient, General Internal Medicine
    Laura Porterfield, MDFamily Medicine RepresentativeVice Chair of Clinical Operations; Medical Director - Island East, Family Medicine
    Namita Bhardwaj, MD, MSFamily Medicine RepresentativeAssociate Director, Residency Program, Family Medicine
    Angela Raimer, MDCBC RepresentativeAssociate Medical Director, Community Based Clinics
    Stacy Leung, MD, MBACBC RepresentativePhysician, South Shore Harbor Clin
    Toni ShultisConsumer Advocate Manager/RepresentativeManager, Social Work, Population Health
    Gunnar SkielvigBeneficiary Manager 
    Lewis BiggersBelong Health Representative 
  • Ex-Officio Members
    Ex-Officio MemberRole
    Robert TrieuStaff
    Gabby VillarealStaff
    Michael Nguyen, MDStaff

Contacts & Resources

Important Numbers

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Patient Resources

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