Elevance Health and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Sign Agreement to Launch Strategic Partnership to Advance Primary Care Delivery

Rhea-AI Summary

Elevance Health and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice sign a strategic partnership agreement to enhance primary care delivery, focusing on innovation, patient experience, and health outcomes. The collaboration aims to leverage the strengths of three care provider entities to improve healthcare across the United States.

Insights

Healthcare Industry Analyst

The agreement between Elevance Health and CD&R to launch a strategic partnership focused on primary care delivery represents a significant move within the healthcare industry. This partnership is structured to innovate the primary care model by integrating data-driven decision making, care coordination and value-based care agreements. Such an approach aims to enhance patient-provider relationships and reduce the overall cost of healthcare. These elements are particularly pertinent as the industry shifts toward a patient-centric model and away from the fee-for-service structure.

Value-based care is becoming a pivotal strategy for healthcare providers and payers, aiming to align incentives with patient outcomes rather than the volume of services provided. This shift is expected to drive efficiency gains by prioritizing preventative measures and chronic disease management, potentially leading to lower long-term healthcare costs. Additionally, incorporating realigned incentives could appeal to employers looking for healthcare plans that offer cost savings alongside improved employee health outcomes.

Digital Health Technology Expert

The introduction of advanced technology, such as digital navigation and clinical advocacy capabilities via apree health, is a key component of this partnership. It demonstrates an understanding that modern healthcare requires a blend of human touch and technology. The use of data-driven insights for care coordination and health coaching is a trend that leverages the power of analytics to personalize care and improve efficiency. Healthcare technology platforms that deliver such capabilities are essential for the scalability of advanced primary care models.

Furthermore, the mention of expanded digital access points to an increase in telehealth services and remote patient monitoring, which could broaden healthcare access and convenience for patients. Digitally enabled care is not only expected to enhance patient engagement but also to collect valuable health data that can lead to better health outcomes. For providers and health systems, this could translate into new revenue streams and a stronger competitive position in the market.

Financial Analyst

The financial aspect of this partnership, while not explicitly detailed in terms of capital investment, suggests a significant commitment from Elevance Health in the form of cash and equity interests. The partnership's formation and operation across multiple regions, with nearly one million consumers to be served, signals a large-scale implementation that holds growth potential for the companies involved. The payer-agnostic platform hints at market expansion beyond traditional payer models, which could open up new market segments for Elevance Health.

Nevertheless, it's noteworthy that the partnership is not expected to have a material impact on Elevance Health's 2024 financial results. This suggests that the returns on investment are likely to be realized over a longer-term horizon. Investors should consider the potential for future cost savings, improved care outcomes and market differentiation when evaluating the strategic value of this initiative.

Collaboration will leverage the strengths of three care provider entities that will come together to deliver value to consumers and employers across the healthcare journey

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Elevance Health, Inc. (NYSE: ELV) and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) announced an agreement to form a strategic partnership to accelerate innovation in primary care delivery, enhance the healthcare experience, and improve health outcomes. This effort, which will operate across multiple regions of the United States, will bring together certain care delivery and enablement assets of Elevance Health’s Carelon Health and CD&R portfolio companies, apree health and Millennium Physician Group (MPG).

“CD&R’s collaboration with Elevance Health is an important step in our ongoing investment focus to accelerate innovation in care delivery across the country,” said Clay Richards, CD&R Operating Partner. “We are excited to enter into this strategic partnership with Elevance Health and for what this effort can accomplish, drawing out the strengths of each of the three companies to improve the patient and physician experience for the communities they serve.”

The strategic partnership’s advanced primary care models take a whole health approach to address the physical, social, and behavioral health of every person. The foundation of the new advanced primary care offering will be stronger patient-provider relationships supported by data-driven insights, care coordination and referral management, and integrated health coaching. It will also leverage realigned incentives through value-based care agreements that enable care providers, assist individuals in leading healthier lives, and make care more affordable.

“We know that when primary care providers are resourced and empowered, they guide consumers through some of life’s most vulnerable moments, while helping people to take control of their own health,” said Bryony Winn, President of Health Solutions at Elevance Health. “By bringing a new model of advanced primary care to markets across the country, our partnership with CD&R will create a win-win for consumers and care providers alike.”

This strategic partnership marks the next step in Elevance Health’s journey to expand access to advanced primary care for consumers with coverage across Commercial, Individual Exchange, Medicaid, and Medicare health plans. Upon its formation, the payer-agnostic platform will serve nearly one million consumers. apree health, Carelon Health, and MPG offer unique strengths that together promise to improve individuals’ health and wellbeing, while helping care providers deliver higher quality care.

• apree health offers best-in-class digital navigation and clinical advocacy capabilities with advanced primary care to deliver better care outcomes and a unique patient experience while driving affordability;
• Carelon Health has 30 clinics that will support the strategic partnership’s ability to provide healthcare to high-risk members, including individuals with complex and chronic conditions; and
• MPG is a leading primary care centric platform serving nearly 900 healthcare providers across multiple states.

Through this strategic partnership, people will have access to integrated care teams, personalized navigation, expanded digital access, and specialized services for higher need populations. Employers will have an even stronger care provider service that delivers affordability and superior experiences for their employees, including dedicated primary care capacity integrated with clinical and benefits navigation.

Our investment will primarily be through a combination of cash and our equity interest in certain care delivery and enablement assets of Carelon Health, and is subject to customary regulatory approvals. While we are not disclosing terms of the strategic partnership, it will not have a material impact on Elevance Health’s 2024 financial results.

About Elevance Health, Inc.

Elevance Health is a lifetime, trusted health partner fueled by its purpose to improve the health of humanity. The company supports consumers, families, and communities across the entire care journey – connecting them to the care, support, and resources they need to lead healthier lives. Elevance Health’s companies serve more than 115 million consumers through a diverse portfolio of industry-leading medical, digital, pharmacy, behavioral, clinical, and complex care solutions. For more information, please visit www.elevancehealth.com or follow us @ElevanceHealth on X and Elevance Health on LinkedIn.

About Clayton, Dubilier & Rice

Founded in 1978, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) is a leading private investment firm with a strategy of generating strong investment returns by building stronger and more sustainable businesses through the combination of skilled investment experience and deep operating capabilities. In partnership with the management teams of its portfolio companies, CD&R takes a long-term view of value creation and emphasizes positive stewardship and impact. The firm invests in businesses that span a broad range of industries, including industrial, healthcare, consumer, technology and financial services end markets. CD&R is privately owned by its partners and has offices in New York and London. For more information, please visit www.cdr-inc.com and follow the firm's activities through LinkedIn and @CDRBuilds on X/Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect our views about future events and financial performance and are generally not historical facts. Words such as “expect,” “feel,” “believe,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “project,” “forecast,” “plan” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include, but are not limited to: financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions; statements regarding plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, products and services; and statements regarding future performance. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond our control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date hereof. You are also urged to carefully review and consider the various risks and other disclosures discussed in our reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, which attempt to advise interested parties of the factors that affect our business. Except to the extent required by law, we do not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date hereof. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: trends in healthcare costs and utilization rates; reduced enrollment; our ability to secure and implement sufficient premium rates; the impact of large scale medical emergencies, such as public health epidemics and pandemics, including COVID-19, and other catastrophes; the impact of new or changes in existing federal, state and international laws or regulations, including healthcare laws and regulations, or their enforcement or application; the impact of cyber-attacks or other privacy or data security incidents or breaches or our failure to comply with any privacy or security laws or regulations, including any investigations, claims or litigation related thereto; information technology disruptions; changes in economic and market conditions, as well as regulations that may negatively affect our liquidity and investment portfolios; competitive pressures and our ability to adapt to changes in the industry and develop and implement strategic growth opportunities; risks and uncertainties regarding Medicare and Medicaid programs, including those related to non-compliance with the complex regulations imposed thereon; our ability to maintain and achieve improvement in Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Star ratings and other quality scores and funding risks with respect to revenue received from participation therein; a negative change in our healthcare product mix; costs and other liabilities associated with litigation, government investigations, audits or reviews; our ability to contract with providers on cost-effective and competitive terms; failure to effectively maintain and modernize our information systems; risks associated with providing pharmacy, healthcare and other diversified products and services, including medical malpractice or professional liability claims and non-compliance by any party with the pharmacy services agreement between us and CaremarkPCS Health, L.L.C.; risks associated with mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances; possible impairment of the value of our intangible assets if future results do not adequately support goodwill and other intangible assets; possible restrictions in the payment of dividends from our subsidiaries and increases in required minimum levels of capital; our ability to repurchase shares of our common stock and pay dividends on our common stock due to the adequacy of our cash flow and earnings and other considerations; the potential negative effect from our substantial amount of outstanding indebtedness and the risk that increased interest rates or market volatility could impact our access to or further increase the cost of financing; a downgrade in our financial strength ratings; the effects of any negative publicity related to the health benefits industry in general or us in particular; events that may negatively affect our licenses with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association; intense competition to attract and retain employees; risks associated with our international operations; and various laws and provisions in our governing documents that may prevent or discourage takeovers and business combinations.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240414119390/en/

Media Relations for Elevance Health:

Leslie Porras

Leslie.Porras@elevancehealth.com



Investor Relations for Elevance Health:

Stephen Tanal

Investor.Relations@elevancehealth.com



Media Relations for CD&R:

Jon Selib

jselib@cdr-inc.com

Source: Elevance Health, Inc.

FAQ

What is the partnership agreement between Elevance Health and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice about?

The partnership aims to accelerate innovation in primary care delivery, enhance the healthcare experience, and improve health outcomes.

What are the key components of the advanced primary care models in the strategic partnership?

The advanced primary care models focus on a whole health approach, stronger patient-provider relationships, data-driven insights, care coordination, referral management, integrated health coaching, and realigned incentives through value-based care agreements.

How many consumers will the payer-agnostic platform serve upon its formation?

The platform will serve nearly one million consumers.

What unique strengths do apree health, Carelon Health, and MPG bring to the strategic partnership?

apree health offers digital navigation and clinical advocacy capabilities, Carelon Health has 30 clinics supporting high-risk members, and MPG is a primary care centric platform serving nearly 900 healthcare providers.

How will the strategic partnership benefit consumers and employers?

Consumers will have access to integrated care teams, personalized navigation, expanded digital access, and specialized services. Employers will receive stronger care provider services for their employees, including dedicated primary care capacity.