ACO & MSSP

Momentum in ACO strategy is shifting from generic MSSP participation toward more deliberate portfolio design: stakeholders are parsing CMS’s new LEAD model as a next-generation ACO option while health systems and independent practices reassess whether ACO participation advances their contracting, referral, and population-health priorities. At the same time, scrutiny is rising over third-party convener–backed, geographically dispersed Medicare ACOs that generate high earnings, raising policy and market questions about whether savings reflect durable care transformation or model arbitrage—an issue that matters as Trump-era CMS leadership under Dr. Mehmet Oz and CMMI Director Abe Sutton shapes the next phase of accountable care. See Aledade’s [LEAD model deep dive](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiggFBVV95cUxQMjMwak1tRDRZS2lVam5pcXNYd2IxVS1ROWpGYXdGS2RYQUZwNUNYSExIZ092Z092bFMyV0dfNld0QV9rbG5GZnNkbmxXWENPQVZwUWxKbkF6Z09pWHg0NHdVdkJHUmpuS2luVUZNREZHdGdMNGxsTmk1SjRmSndHMnpR0gGSAUFVX3lxTE9malNfWV9oZ21sNExDTmhJUExHWXljOWpR