Belong Health Announces Groundbreaking Joint-Venture Partnership with MVP Health Care, Welcomes Additional Members to Its Leadership Team

PHILADELPHIA and SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Belong Health, the first company dedicated to partnering with regional health plans to support the delivery of Medicare Advantage and Special Needs Plan products, and MVP Health Care, a leading not-for-profit health insurer in New York and Vermont, announce the execution of a joint-venture supporting MVP Health Care's launch of a Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) in service of the Medicare and Medicaid dually-eligible community.

This represents the first joint venture for Belong Health and will serve as a model for future engagements with other health plans and hospital systems. MVP Health Care's D-SNP product will launch across 13 New York counties in 2022. 

With a core focus on data-driven, proactive care management and a comprehensive, whole-person patient experience, Belong Health's integrative team is well-equipped to support MVP in this new product launch.

"Belong Health's multidisciplinary team is uniquely positioned to facilitate this innovative approach," said Belong Health CEO J. Patrick Foley, "We hope that the success of this partnership will serve as a call to action for plans who are considering launching D-SNPs, for those in need of support in their Medicare Advantage business, and for those who have for too long experienced flat performance, clinically and financially."

MVP Health Care is a regional, non-profit health plan serving 700,000 members across New York and Vermont. Committed to making a positive impact on the health and wellness of the communities they serve, MVP is continuously innovating and leveraging new approaches to meet customers' ever-evolving needs. True to their commitment to make health insurance more convenient, more supportive, and more personal, MVP Health Care's new D-SNP product, the MVP DualAccess plan, will simplify care and enhance customer experience by coordinating Medicare and Medicaid benefits in a patient-centric way.

This collaboration will provide multiple benefits for MVP Health Care members through the coordination of Medicare and Medicaid benefits and services, creating a strong value and a localized focus that sets MVP Health Care's offerings apart from those offered by other health plans. More than 135,000 people in the Capital Region, Hudson Valley, and the North Country are currently eligible to enroll in a D-SNP plan.

"MVP Health Care is proud to join Belong Health for the support of MVP's offering a coordinated model architected around the unique needs of vulnerable populations," says MVP CEO Christopher Del Vecchio, "We share a mission with Belong Health to provide simplified and personalized care for everyone in our community. This joint venture is an exciting and innovative evolution of that work."

"To best serve our members today and into the future, we knew we needed to think outside the box to find the best solutions. Our joint venture with Belong Health does just that," added MVP Health Care's Chief Financial Officer, Karla Austen, "Belong Health is a trusted, built-for-purpose company that supports regional health plans that deliver Medicare Advantage and Special Needs Plans by expanding access to care and providing expert resources for those with multiple chronic conditions. With our shared commitment to putting our members first, we're confident in Belong Health's ability to complement MVP Health Care's strengths and keep us on the leading edge of health care."

To further power their continued efforts to address the needs of the diverse and complex individuals served by these products, Belong Health also welcomes new talent to its core leadership team. Tahasin Alam, Co-founder and CTO of Centivo, will join Belong Health as Chief Technology Officer. Gen Gillespie, former SVP of the value-based care managed services operator Lumeris, joins as Chief Revenue Officer. Lewis Biggers, former VP of Accountable Care at Stanford Health, will join the Belong Health team as Chief Provider Officer. Maura McGinn, former SVP of People and Talent at Bright Health, joins the team as SVP of People and Operations, and Natasha VanWright, former AVP of Care Management and Strategic Initiatives, will join as VP of Care Management. 

About Belong Health
Belong Health delivers a more compassionate, straightforward insurance experience for Medicare-eligible members by partnering with regional health plans to help them launch or grow market-leading Medicare Advantage and Special Needs Plans. High-quality health care should be accessible to all, and local, regional health plans are best positioned to serve their communities as their trusted health insurance partners.

About MVP Health Care
MVP Health Care is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit health insurer caring for members in New York and Vermont. Committed to the complete well-being of their members and the communities they serve, MVP makes health insurance more convenient, more?supportive, and?more?personal.

For more information, visit www.mvphealthcare.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Belong Health