Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are groups of doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers who come together voluntarily to give coordinated, high quality care to their Medicare patients. The goal of coordinated care is to ensure that patients, especially the chronically ill, get the right care at the right time, while avoiding unnecessary duplication of services and preventing medical errors.
Doctors and other health care providers choose to participate in an ACO because they’re committed to providing patients with a better care experience. They may also be financially rewarded for offering better, more coordinated care. If your doctor chooses to participate in an ACO, you’ll see a poster with information displayed in the office or hospital.
An ACO isn’t a Medicare Advantage Plan or Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). Patients are still in Original Medicare, and their Medicare benefits, services, rights and protections won’t change. And they still have the right to use any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare, at any time.
Learn more about how we provide coordinated care, expanded benefits, and how you can get the most from your care with our communication and support.
Medicare Shared Savings Program/ACO fact sheet for patients (PDF):
Read in English | Read in Spanish
As a Medicare beneficiary, you can log in to MyMedicare.gov and select your primary clinician. Your primary clinician is the health care provider that you believe is responsible for coordinating your overall care. Selecting a primary clinician does not affect your benefits or restrict your ability to get care from any doctor or other clinician you choose. Your selection of a primary clinician will remain the same unless you decide to change your designation.
To select your primary clinician, log in to, or create, your MyMedicare.gov account or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Search for your primary clinician by typing their name into the provider search tool. Then select the "Add as my primary clinician" option under the provider's name.
Download step-by-step instructions (PDF): In English | en español
If you have questions or concerns, call us at 401-444-6472 or we can discuss them next time you're in one of our practices. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE(1-800-633-4227) and tell the representative you're calling to learn more about ACOs or visit Medicare.gov/acos.html.
