WellSpan Health expands ACO with Penn Highlands Healthcare

WellSpan Health announced an expansion of its Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACOs) with Penn Highlands Healthcare. 

The expansion will occur in January 2027. With close to 59,000 beneficiaries now being served, WellSpan will be among the largest accountable care organizations in the U.S., surpassing nearly 95% of ACOs nationwide. 

“Through WellSpan’s Medicare ACO, we are leading the way in 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 Health President and CEO Roxanna Gapstur said in a statement. “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. Together, we are proud to place affordability at the forefront of our mission while fostering healthy communities.”

Penn Highlands Healthcare serves rural counties across western Pennsylvania. With Penn Highlands joining as a participant, the ACO will grow by approximately 4,900 patients.

“We recognize the expertise WellSpan has put forth, and we’re excited to become a member of their ACO and be able to extend those benefits to our patients,” said Penn Highlands Healthcare CEO Steven Fontaine. “Enhancing care, improving efficiency and expanding access to affordable care are the cornerstones of our mission and participating in this ACO is another step on that journey.”

According to a release, ACOs work with many types of organizations such as health systems, independent physician groups and others to oversee improvements to care, enhance coordination and manage chronic conditions. Coordinated care is aimed at ensuring patients receive the right treatments at the right time and with a goal of avoiding unnecessary variations.

As part of creating a better care delivery system, Medicare rewards ACOs who provide higher quality care at a more affordable cost by sharing in the savings it achieves for the Medicare program. Per the release, there is no increase in cost for patients of ACO member organizations.