Four Pennsylvania Healthcare Orgs Form Medicare ACO

Four regional Pennsylvania healthcare organizations are collaborating to form a Medicare Shared Savings Program accountable care organization (ACO), called Penn State Health Care Partners.

The organization was selected as one of the 89 new MSSP ACOs that were announced in December by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The organizations— Lancaster-based Physicians Alliance LTD (PAL), Reading-based St. Joseph Regional Health Network and Integrated Medical Group P.C. and Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center — will aim to enhance the overall coordination and quality of care for a large population of Medicare recipients.

Penn State Health Care Partners expects to serve the healthcare needs of approximately 27,500 Medicare beneficiaries across several central Pennsylvania counties. Partners is now one of 405 ACOs participating in the Shared Savings Program as of Jan. 1, covering 7.2 million people.

“For physicians and other healthcare providers, Penn State Health Care Partners provides a valuable opportunity to improve the overall coordination of care for our patients,” Dr. Robert Hippert, chair of Penn State Health Care Partners Board of Managers, said in a statement. “That includes the care we provide to heal them when they are sick and the things we do to help them stay healthy.”