York, Pa., March 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WellSpan Health announced today a significant expansion of its award-winning Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACOs) with Penn Highlands Healthcare to become its newest member as of January 2027.
ACOs work with many types of organizations such as health systems, independent physician groups and others to oversee improvements to quality care, enhance coordination and manage chronic conditions. Coordinated care ensures 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. There is no increase in cost for patients of ACO member organizations.
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, bringing the total number of beneficiaries served to nearly 59,000. This milestone puts WellSpan’s ACO among the largest in the country, 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,” said Roxanna Gapstur, Ph.D. R.N., president and CEO, WellSpan Health. “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.”
"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 Steven M. Fontaine, CEO of Penn Highlands Healthcare. "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."
WellSpan’s Medicare ACO has saved the Medicare program and its patients more than $70 million in total cost of care over the past four years.
Ryan Coyle WellSpan Health 7178513151 RCoyle@WellSpan.org
