Otolaryngologists Missing from Leadership Ranks of Accountable Care Organizations

ACOs on the Rise

As of May 2014, the number of confirmed accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the United States was 626, according to Leavitt Partners, LLC, a Salt Lake City, Utah-based healthcare consulting firm tracking the growth of accountable care.

“The continued growth in the number of ACOs is expected,” said David B. Muhlestein, PhD, director of research at Leavitt Partners. “While initial ACO results have been mixed, there are enough positive results to encourage other organizations to take the leap and become an ACO. Additionally, many commercial payers and state Medicaid agencies are actively pushing accountable care models, which further encourages providers to become ACOs. As long as current ACOs remain viable and Medicare and other payers endorse the model, expect more organizations to move toward accountable care.”—KA