Bob Sheehy, Bright Health’s CEO and co-founder, said the company uses exclusive partnerships with large health care firms like Mercy in order to provide more affordable coverage and a greater list of available services for patients.
“They’re very interested in working in their community to provide better benefits at a lower cost,” Sheehy said of Mercy.
The partnership will give Bright Health access to Mercy Health’s provider network and offer a new health care option for Mercy’s patients. Mercy Health has 20 hospitals and more than 2,700 primary and specialty care providers at 500 locations across Ohio, including Springfield and Urbana.
There has been increasing consolidation in the health care industry, with larger, comprehensive health systems overtaking smaller independent providers, Sheehy said.
Bright Health received conditional approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for its Ohio Medicare Advantage plans and beginning in 2019 intends to offer Medicare Advantage plans to Ohio residents in the Cincinnati, Springfield, Youngstown and Toledo areas via its website, www.BrightHealthplan.com, its call center, broker partners and the Medicare.gov website.
Open enrollment will begin this fall and the plans will kick in next year, he said.
“We are excited by the partnership between Mercy Health and Bright Health for their Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio,” said Tom Golias, chief managed care officer of Mercy Health. “Collaborating with Bright Health, as their Care Partner of choice, gives our Medicare patients an excellent, high-value health insurance option that marries convenience and best-in-class care.”
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