For Immediate Release: 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ACOS AND LEAVITT PARTNERS RELEASE 2017 ANNUAL ACO SURVEY RESULTS 

Washington, D.C., October 4, 2017 — Today the National Association of ACOs (NAACOS) and Leavitt Partners released the results from their first Annual ACO Survey in a Health Affairs article entitled “The 2017 Annual ACO Survey: What Do Current Trends Tell Us About The Future of Accountable Care.” Two-hundred and forty unique ACOs, representing one quarter of all known Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial ACOs, participated in the 2017 survey. Results provide an important view into the current state of ACOs as well as their plans for the future. 

The findings shed light on ACOs’ participation in other Alternative Payment Models (APMs), common improvement activities, organizational and contract structures, and investments. Andrew Croshaw, CEO of Leavitt Partners, stated “With more than 32 million patients receiving care from ACOs nationwide, ACOs are now an important part of the American health care landscape, and the need to understand them better is becoming increasingly more important. The Annual ACO Survey provides one of the most comprehensive views into the growing ACO industry.” 

Survey results indicate that ACOs are becoming more willing to take on financial risk; however, a successful transition to risk will only occur when they have the ability and infrastructure in place to take on and manage that risk. Clif Gaus, Sc.D., President and CEO of NAACOS said, “There are many opportunities to support the ACO movement, especially among policy makers and researchers. Everyone wants value-based care, but in order to do that we need to support, learn, and continuously improve. We’re all learning. Let’s do that together.” 

About ACOs
The ACO model is a market-based solution that relies on local groups of physicians, hospitals and other providers who are responsible for the total cost of care for their patients. ACO providers must work together to improve health care quality, enhance patient experience, and reduce costs.  

About NAACOS
NAACOS is the largest association of Medicare ACOs, representing over 3.7 million beneficiary lives through 260 MSSP, Next Generation, and Commercial ACOs. NAACOS is an ACO member-led and member-owned non- profit organization that works on behalf of ACOs across the nation to improve the Quality of Medicare delivery, population health and outcomes, and health care cost efficiency.