York, Pa.-based WellSpan Health is expanding its Medicare accountable care organization with the addition of Penn Highlands Healthcare, effective January 2027.
Three things to know:
1. DuBois, Pa.-based Penn Highlands, which serves rural communities across western Pennsylvania, will join the ACO as a participating organization. The move will add about 4,900 beneficiaries to WellSpan’s ACO, bringing the total number served to nearly 59,000.
2. WellSpan’s ACO has generated more than $70 million in total cost-of-care savings for Medicare over the past four years, according to the health system.
3. ACOs coordinate care across providers with a focus on improving quality, managing chronic conditions and reducing unnecessary costs. Organizations that meet quality and cost benchmarks may share in savings generated for the Medicare program.
“We are … lowering the total cost of care for Central Pennsylvania by supporting our physicians and advanced practice providers with clinical decision support for population management, data analytics, care navigation and technology with the goal of empowering patients to maximize their health and well-being,” WellSpan President and CEO Roxanna Gapstur, PhD, RN, said in a March 23 news release. “With Penn Highlands as our newest member, our ACO will expand access to high-quality, coordinated care for even more patients in our region, while providing meaningful savings for the Medicare program.”
The post Penn Highlands to join WellSpan’s ACO: 3 things to know appeared first on Becker's Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.
Source: Read Original Article
