Industry News: Volume 2, Issue 19

INDUSTRY NEWS

Morgan Health Announces New Investment in Centivo

Latest strategic investment designed to scale affordable, accountable care-centered benefit options in the self-funded employer market

Washington, D.C., July 19, 2022 – Morgan Health, the JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) business unit focused on improving the quality, equity and affordability of employer-sponsored health care, announced a $30 million investment in Centivo, an innovative provider of health plans for self-insured employers built to address health care affordability for employees and their families. 

Centivo’s model is anchored around relationships with leading accountable care providers with a proven track record of delivering high-quality, cost-effective care. Centivo works to align incentives between these providers and self-funded employers through timely access to care, affordable and predictable costs and outcomes-based compensation for providers tied to quality and cost-effectiveness. Through this approach, employers can typically offer health benefit plan options that include free adult and pediatric primary care for all visits, no deductibles, predictable copays for all non-primary care, enhanced patient access and integrated virtual primary care.

Among mid-size and large employers, Centivo’s typical client has saved 15 to 30 percent annually compared to traditional insurance models. In addition, members’ medical and pharmacy out-of-pocket cost has, on average, been reduced to less than $350 per person per year. These cost reductions have occurred all while increasing primary care utilization by more than 30 percent and strengthening quality through an advanced primary care-centered clinical model. Centivo members report high levels of satisfaction with overall affordability, cost predictability and care coordination. 

Morgan Health’s investment is part of an extended Series B-1 financing. This extension will support Centivo’s rapid growth and expansion amid increased demand from employers and employees.

“There is a critical and growing need for employers to offer – and for employees to have access to – high quality and affordable health insurance options. Sky-high premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs make coverage unaffordable for too many. Centivo’s model offers a technology-driven and innovative primary care platform that can respond to members’ health needs at every moment,” said Peter Scher, Vice Chairman of JPMorgan Chase, a member of the firm’s Operating Committee who oversees Morgan Health. Scher will join Centivo’s Board.

“Centivo recognizes the importance of being an advocate and partner in members’ health care journey. Our strategic investment and long-term support will help accelerate Centivo’s efforts so more Americans with employer-sponsored insurance can benefit from affordable, high-quality primary and accountable care,” said Dan Mendelson, CEO of Morgan Health.

Launched in 2019, Centivo has continued to expand its reach among self-insured employers and now has a market presence in 13 states. The company’s growing roster of clients include employers with as few as 51 employees as well as numerous Fortune 500 companies. 

“We are honored and proud to be among the initial group of Morgan Health’s strategic investments,” said Ashok Subramanian, CEO of Centivo. “Morgan Health and Centivo share a joint mission of restoring health care affordability and value for American workers through a greater emphasis on accountable care. This investment will further increase our ability to do so for more and more employers and their employees while continuing to enhance the simplicity and affordability of Centivo’s health plan for members and patients.”

Morgan Health’s investment in Centivo follows its recent investments in Vera Whole Health, and subsequent investment in Castlight, Embold Health and a research collaboration with Kaiser Permanente. Morgan Health will continue to identify emerging and developing accountable care models with the goal of helping to scale and expand these offerings for JPMC’s employees and the more than 150 million Americans with employer-sponsored health insurance.

About Morgan Health

Morgan Health is a JPMorgan Chase business unit focused on improving employer-sponsored health care. Through its investments and the advancement of accountable care, Morgan Health is working to improve the quality, equity and affordability of employer-sponsored health care for JPMorgan Chase employees, their families and the U.S. health system. The business is led by Dan Mendelson, CEO of Morgan Health, reporting to Peter Scher, Vice Chairman of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and a member of the firm’s Operating Committee. Morgan Health is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Visit morganhealth.com.

About Centivo

Centivo is an innovative health plan for self-funded employers on a mission to bring affordable, high-quality healthcare to the millions of working Americans who struggle to pay their medical bills. Anchored around a primary care based ACO model, Centivo saves employers 15 to 30 percent compared to traditional insurance carriers. Employees also realize significant savings through our free primary care (including virtual), predictable copay and no-deductible benefit plan design. Centivo works with employers ranging in size from 51 employees to Fortune 500 companies. For more information, visit centivo.com.

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Industry Voices – Meet the New Insurer Tactic Burdening Chronic Disease Patients with Higher Out-Of-Pocket Costs

By Rebecca Shepard

fiercehealthcare.com As prescription drug prices continue to soar, the pharmacy benefit managers that health insurers employ to negotiate prices and process medications are instead pushing costs onto patients who can ill afford to bear them.  

One recent cost-shifting strategy that’s quickly become pervasive is especially painful for the millions of patients with expensive-to-treat rheumatic diseases: PBMs are limiting what costs are counted toward patients’ annual insurance deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums.

As prescription drug prices continue to soar, the pharmacy benefit managers that health insurers employ to negotiate prices and process medications are instead pushing costs onto patients who can ill afford to bear them.  

To view the article in its entirety, click here.

AI Can Reduce Sepsis-Related Deaths, Study Shows

By Mari Devereaux

modernhealthcare.com – Using artificial intelligence and a machine learning system, providers were able to diagnose and treater cases of sepsis earlier than with traditional methods, decreasing sepsis patient mortality by nearly 20%, according to new research.

To view the article in its entirety, click here.

Doubting mainstream medicine, COVID patients find dangerous advice and pills online

By Geoff Brumfiel

npr.org— When Stephanie caught COVID-19 just before Thanksgiving of last year, her daughter Laurie suggested that she get help.

“She was really not feeling well, and I was like, ‘Just go to the doctor,'” Laurie recalls.

But Stephanie, who was 75 at the time, didn’t go. 

To view the original article in its entirety, click here.

Polio case confirmed in New York state, health-care providers told to look for more infections

By Spencer Kimball

cnbc.com— The New York State Health Department confirmed a case of polio on Thursday, the first known infection in the U.S. in nearly a decade.

A resident of Rockland County, a suburb of New York City, tested positive for polio, according to the state health department. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the infection.

To view the original article in its entirety, click here.

Youth mental health crisis is “the next wave of the pandemic,” Duke psychiatrist says

By Anne Blythe

northcarolinahealthnews.org— More than $110 billion has been awarded to North Carolina in federal aid to help battle COVID-19 as wave after wave of variants spread illness and disruption — even for President Joe Biden, who now has to isolate at the White House after testing positive for the virus.

As North Carolina elevates its battle against the highly transmissible BA.5 variant with 44 counties labeled by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention as having high community spread, a Duke physician would like to see a similar commitment to confronting the teen mental health crisis.

To view the original article in its entirety, click here.

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