Reports

The Massachusetts Medicaid program, MassHealth, introduced accountable care organizations (ACOs) for many of its members in March 2018. An ACO is a group of doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers that work together with the goals of delivering better care to members, improving the population’s health, and controlling costs. An ACO is accountable both for the health of its members and for the cost of the care its members receive. This brief explains the basics of MassHealth ACOs: the three types of ACOs, who they serve, the services they provide, and how they are encouraged to improve care and contain costs. For the reader who desires greater depth and detail, a list of resources appears at the end.