The first social ACO: Lessons from Commonwealth Care Alliance

Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) of Massachusetts is an early innovator in developing a "social ACO" approach. CCA’s caremodel is grounded in providing comprehensive care coordination embedded in enhanced primary care, and CCA has distinguished itself from other providers by addressing the medical, behavioral, and social needs of complex patients. As a pioneer of the social ACO approach, its story offers insights into the factors and processes that promote successful realization of the Triple Aim for other emerging ACOs focused on complex patient populations. This white paper assesses the development of CCA’s care, payment, and delivery reforms, as well as the visionary leadership of CCA’s founders, primarily focusing on its key innovations, challenges, and lessons for the field. Given the strong interest in managing care for such high-risk patients, CCA can serve as a successful social ACO model from which others can learn.