Two healthcare-centric organizations are joining forces while one is winding down. I’m Jeff Lagasse with Healthcare Finance News, and we’ll sort all of that out in this week’s Top Stories.
Optum and Change Healthcare are two major players in the industry, and now, the technology and service companies are combining. This creates a powerhouse of a healthcare analytics and technology company. According to Healthcare Finance News, (https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/optum-acquire-change-healthcare), the agreement is expected to close in the second half of 2021, with Optum buying Change’s common stock. The two companies said they will connect and simplify core clinical, administrative and payment processes, and Optum parent company UnitedHealth Group expects the acquisition to add to its net and adjusted earnings per share in 2022. UnitedHealth Group’s insurance arm, UnitedHealthcare, is considered the largest insurer in the country.
And then there’s Haven, the high-profile joint venture from Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase, which is calling it quits after a three year run. In MobiHealthNews, (https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/amazon-berkshire-jpmorgans-employee-health-joint-venture-officially-winding-down) we see that while Haven had sought to leverage each of the three business’ strengths to create a new model for employee health coverage, it launched relatively few projects and by the end of its life had shed a number of key employees. Anonymous sources have suggested many of Haven’t projects were adopted and executed within each company independently, which may have contributed to its eventual demise.
Finally this week, receiving a COVID-19 vaccine is top-of-mind for many people around the globe, and getting it into the arms of patients quickly could be streamlined through patient engagement tools. HealthcareITNews reports (https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/patient-engagement-tools-can-speed-streamline-covid-19-vaccine-rollout) that industry leaders are advocating for such tools to complement vaccination outreach efforts, ensuring that everyone who needs coronavirus protection can get it. Utilizing such technology can help ensure that proper communication and outreach takes place, making it easier to stem the months-long public health crisis.
I’m Jeff Lagasse, and this has been Top Stories.