Data Points: ACOs keep evolving, now covering 10% of U.S. population

Hailed as one of the primary vehicles for driving the industry away from fee-for-service arrangements, accountable care organizations now cover roughly 10% of the U.S. population, according to Leavitt Partners and the Accountable Care Learning Collaborative. The groups found that 923 public and private ACOs were operating nationwide as of March 31. "Since the first quarter of 2016, 138 new ACOs began operation, and 46 ACOs dropped their accountable care contracts, representing a net increase of 92 organizations becoming ACOs, or an 11% growth," they reported June 28 in the Health Affairs blog. Download the PDF.