The number of Medicare beneficiaries treated in accountable care organizations continues to rise, according to new data from the Trump administration.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said 14.3 million people are enrolled in an ACO as of January 2026, up by 4.4% from 13.7 million in 2025. The CMS said that for 2026, it approved 134 applications for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), including 72 new participants and 62 returning participants.
That brings total participation in MSSP to 511, up from 476 accountable care organizations in 2025. CMS said that the MSSP ACOs include more than 700,000 providers and other organizations serving 12.6 million people with traditional Medicare, a 12.3% increase from 2025.
ACO REACH, meanwhile, now includes 74 participants, encompassing 125,909 providers and organizations and covering 1.7 million beneficiaries, the CMS said.
The ACO REACH model is set to conclude at the end of 2026, and the CMS announced the LEAD, or Long-Term Enhanced ACO Design, model as its successor. The 10-year voluntary demonstration officially began Jan. 1 and will run through Dec. 31, 2026.
In addition, the CMS said there are 74 entities contracted to participate in the Kidney Care Choices model, including 7,534 providers and organizations as well as 237,000 traditional Medicare beneficiaries with chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease.
There are also 23 ACOs that are jointly participating in the MSSP and ACO PC Flex Model, which is designed for primary care providers within MSSP. These participants serve 359,720 Medicare beneficiaries, according to the fact sheet.
In the fact sheet, the CMS said ACOs "are a critical tool to help Make America Healthy Again by supporting whole person care that addresses prevention, chronic illness and the root causes of disease."