According to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that allow Medicare to reduce reimbursements to hospitals exhibiting high readmission rates have yielded better patient outcomes and reduced costly readmissions — a ringing endorsement of the effectiveness of value-based care models.

At a MedPAC commissioners meeting earlier this month, overall readmissions stood at 16.7% in 2008, when the ACA was passed, but had fallen to around 15% by 2015. Readmission rates for conditions specifically subject to reimbursement penalties fell faster than overall readmission rates, indicating the provision’s success.

Get the full report here from MedPageToday.