MVP Health Care and Galileo Launch First Virtual Primary and Specialty Care Solution for Medicaid Members in New York

PR Newswire

SCHENECTADY, N.Y., Jan. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MVP Health Care and Galileo today announced a groundbreaking partnership that will give MVP Medicaid members in New York access to comprehensive virtual primary and specialty care. This first-of-its-kind offering gives digital health care access to a population that was previously regulated to see an in-person primary care physician (PCP).

Accessing high-quality health care can be a serious challenge for Medicaid enrollees. Over the last 18 months, nearly 40% of MVP's Medicaid members have not seen a PCP, often due to competing demands on time and resources, transportation challenges, and language barriers, exacerbating health care inequities.

MVP Medicaid members will now be able to speak to a doctor at any time of day or night, via text or video chat, using Galileo's bilingual (Spanish-English) app. With Galileo's on-demand care, no appointment is necessary, shrinking wait times to access care from weeks to minutes. For the first time, MVP's Medicaid members can now select their virtual PCP through Galileo and can be connected to acute care, specialty care, chronic condition management, pharmacies, labs, and more 24/7, 365. Studies show that access to virtual health can have a positive impact on this population.

Galileo's highly experienced and culturally inclusive, bilingual providers can quickly address a wide range of patient needs, delivering fully integrated primary and behavioral health care, providing faster access to multispecialty care, improving chronic condition management, and avoiding unnecessary ER visits. MVP's partnership with Galileo is a testament to its commitment to improving patient outcomes for its Medicaid enrollees, who will now have on-demand access to primary and specialty care that focuses on their individual needs.

"Offering virtual primary care is a monumental step towards creating an environment that offers our members equitable choice and convenience in their health care journey," said MVP Health Care's President and CEO, Chris Del Vecchio. "We know that primary care is crucial to getting and staying healthy, yet 38% of our Medicaid members are utilizing other health care services, such as the emergency room or urgent care, and are skipping primary care altogether. This option uniquely positions MVP and Galileo to create more equitable access and address the unmet needs of our Medicaid population. We are proud to be the first health insurer to offer this innovative option to our members."

"We built Galileo as a new gold standard in medicine — designed to improve the quality and reliability of care for complex and diverse populations, in both rural and urban communities," said Thomas Lee, MD, founder and CEO of Galileo. "We are excited to partner with an innovative leader such as MVP and offer premium health care to their Medicaid members in New York."

Virtual primary care for MVP members is now available by visiting www.galileohealth.com/mvp.

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 our members and the communities we 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.

About Galileo
Galileo is a modern medical group with the mission to make quality health care affordable and accessible to all. Galileo was designed from the ground up to manage today's diverse and complex populations through digital, clinic, office, mobile, and home-based care. Operating across all 50 states, Galileo improves the quality of care while reducing costs for patients and the purchasers of health care. Founded by Thomas Lee, MD, the Harvard-trained physician and health care pioneer behind One Medical and Epocrates, Galileo is a team of innovators from health care, technology, and human-centered design. For more information, visit Galileo.io and follow Galileo on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Capwell Communications, 949-999-3303, [email protected]