Bright Health to Enter New York City Medicare Advantage Market in Partnership with Mount Sinai Health Partners

PR Newswire

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Bright Health announced its intention to offer Medicare Advantage plans in New York City, making this partnership the newest market addition to Bright Health's exclusive Care Partner collaborations. The company received conditional approval from the federal government to begin offering Medicare Advantage plans to 65+ consumers plans in New York during this fall's 2019 annual enrollment period.

In New York City, Bright Health is partnering with Mount Sinai Health Partners whose clinically integrated network coordinates effective and efficient care for more than 350,000 patients. This unique Care Partner collaboration offers Medicare Advantage plans that are both affordable and comprehensive. Under this model, Bright Health customers have access to Mount Sinai's Medicare provider network and a set of clinical affiliates, delivering care and coverage that's convenient, efficient and reliable. In total, Bright Health members can take advantage of more than 2,500 network providers, 300 community locations and seven hospitals spanning Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn. With an extensive care delivery footprint including the State of New York's first hospital-sponsored ACO to be granted a certificate of authority, Mount Sinai aims to be a local, regional and national leader in delivering the highest quality care, best experience and best value for its patients.

Bright Health's innovative Care Partner Health Plan model works exclusively with one health system per market to offer superior, integrated care "under one roof". This relationship allows for coordination of services, technology, data and administration to optimize consumer and patient experience. It creates a unique alignment between Bright Health and Mount Sinai when serving Bright Health members, with the promise of enhanced benefits, better outcomes and reduced healthcare costs overall.

"Over the past decade, we have been witnessing an evolving healthcare delivery landscape, marked by consolidation of small, independent providers into large, comprehensive health systems," said Bob Sheehy, CEO of Bright Health. "Mount Sinai is an exemplar of health systems that are doing this right – offering quality integrated care and expanded services to their patients. We are thrilled to partner with them to deliver quality care that is more affordable to hardworking New York City residents. Our unique model is the next generation of health care – putting consumers first, eliminating the friction that has existed between providers and insurers in the past and allowing our members to focus on what really matters – their health."

"We are honored that Bright Health asked us to anchor the provider network for its new Medicare Advantage offering in New York City," said Stephen Furia, Senior Vice President of Population Health Solutions for Mount Sinai Health Partners. "For years, Mount Sinai has been investing heavily to improve the health of all of the populations we serve, especially seniors, but we need help from our health plan partners to be successful. Bright Health shares our goals for population health and has some impressive ideas for how they can empower our doctors, from behind the scenes, to achieve them. They also bring innovations that extend our doctor's support for patients, especially in between visits when seniors need personalized help to stay on track. This new collaboration model holds great potential, giving our doctors the tools they need to optimize outcomes for our patients: high-quality care, personalized service at an affordable price. We're excited for a long-term collaboration with Bright Health."

Starting with the 2019 plan year, Bright Health intends to offer Medicare Advantage plans to New York City residents via its website, BrightHealthplan.com, its call center, broker partners and the Medicare.gov website. Additional markets, Care Partnerships, and Medicare Advantage and individual and family benefit plans are planned for 2019 and beyond.

About Bright Health

Bright Health provides affordable health insurance for everyday individuals. Through its exclusive Care Partnerships in local communities, Bright Health is reshaping how people and providers achieve better health together by making healthcare simpler, more affordable and personal. Bright Health currently offers a range of individual, family and Medicare Advantage plans in Arizona, Colorado and Alabama via its website, call center, broker partners and through government websites as well as public health insurance exchanges. Bright Health co-founders include Bob Sheehy, former CEO of UnitedHealthcare; Kyle Rolfing, co-founder and former CEO of Definity Health and RedBrick Health; and Tom Valdivia, MD, MS, former chief health consumer officer of Definity Health. Learn more at BrightHealthPlan.com.

About Mount Sinai

The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest integrated delivery system encompassing seven hospital campuses, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai's vision is to produce the safest care, the highest quality, the highest satisfaction, the best access and the best value of any health system in the nation. The System includes approximately 7,100 primary and specialty care physicians; 10 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 140 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. The Icahn School of Medicine is one of three medical schools that have earned distinction by multiple indicators: ranked in the top 20 by U.S. News & World Report's "Best Medical Schools", aligned with a U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" Hospital, No. 13 in the nation for National Institutes of Health funding, and among the top 10 most innovative research institutions as ranked by the journal Nature in its Nature Innovation Index. This reflects a special level of excellence in education, clinical practice, and research. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 18 on U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of top U.S. hospitals; it is one of the nation's top 20 hospitals in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Geriatrics, Nephrology, and Neurology/Neurosurgery, and in the top 50 in four other specialties in the 2017-2018 "Best Hospitals" issue. Mount Sinai's Kravis Children's Hospital also is ranked in six out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked 12th nationally for Ophthalmology and 50th for Ear, Nose, and Throat, while Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai West are ranked regionally. Mount Sinai Health System is a participant in provider networks for health plans offering Medicare, Medicaid and Commercial insurance. For more information, visit www.mountsinai.org/, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.