ACAP, Health Integrated Form Strategic Alliance to Deliver Best-in-Class Programs for ACAP-Member Health Plans

WASHINGTON and TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), the leading trade organization for non-profit Medicaid-focused health plans, and Health Integrated, Inc., a leading health management solutions provider, have formed a strategic alliance to develop and offer high-quality, cost-effective programs to ACAP members that advance their mission to serve the underserved.

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"Our member health plans are driven by a mission to serve their communities and improve the health of the most vulnerable populations," says Margaret A. Murray, ACAP's Chief Executive Officer. "We are excited about the opportunities promised by our strategic relationship with Health Integrated as it will strengthen our ability to help our member plans collectively enhance health outcomes of those most in need in their communities."

The partnership builds on the strength and expertise of each organization, and will bring to member plans differentiated, private-labeled, ACAP-branded health management and cost containment services that confer economic, operational and competitive advantages. ACAP has demonstrated how bringing plans together can favorably influence health policy for the populations they serve. Notable recent accomplishments include passage of Medicaid expansion up to 138% of poverty and the Drug Rebate Equalization Act.

Likewise, Health Integrated has a proven track record of delivering impactful, customized health management solutions for vulnerable populations and counts several ACAP plans among its customers. These services, tailored to the unique needs of ACAP plans, coupled with the power of ACAP to bring like-minded health plans together, is the basis for the Strategic Alliance.  

This exclusive ACAP / Health Integrated relationship will harness the collective input of ACAP health plans to create innovative care management programs that will enhance care, reduce costs and increase competitiveness. The program includes establishing:

• A Strategic Advisory Board to provide guidance to Health Integrated on products needed by the ACAP plans as they work to provide high quality care to the most vulnerable of Americans
• Product Work Groups to develop requirements and timelines to launch customized solutions for the ACAP plans and their beneficiaries
• An Outcomes Review Board to provide direction around best practice metrics and pooling outcomes of ACAP plans running programs developed through the Strategic Alliance

"ACAP has a long history of helping member plans improve the quality of care coverage they offer and influencing health policy for the better. Now, through our strategic alliance, ACAP plans will be able to access new technologies and the latest in care management approaches without having to make huge, individual resource investments," says Shan Padda, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Health Integrated. "Working together, the solutions will be tailored to ACAP-member needs," added Padda.

Health Integrated will base ACAP-branded solutions on its proven, integrated approach to care management and a deep understanding of vulnerable populations. Health Integrated's overall approach empowers patients to be more knowledgeable about their own health and health barriers, more motivated to follow prescribed treatments, better able to navigate the health care system and more engaged in establishing and achieving goals for healthier lives.

"Health Integrated and ACAP understand the advantage of smaller, community-based health plans when it comes to being part of the community and knowing our individual members. With this new alliance, ACAP members will be in an even better position in a competitive health plan market, with localized care management solutions that will improve outcomes and reduce costs," says Dave Ford, Chief Executive Officer, CareOregon. CareOregon, an ACAP member plan, has been a Health Integrated customer since 2009.

"With the tight economy along with healthcare reform, there is no better time for ACAP members to collectively access the latest technology and best-in-class methodology for care management while providing the much-needed safety net for the nation's poorest and most vulnerable citizens," says Tom Early, Executive Director, Health Plus in New York. "Through this partnership, ACAP will provide access to cost-effective, quality solutions that will enable us to have the advantages of larger plans without having to expend the significant resources usually required to develop them." Health Plus has been a Health Integrated customer since 2001.

About ACAP

The Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) is a national trade association representing 59 nonprofit safety net health plans in 28 states. ACAP's mission is to represent and strengthen not-for-profit, safety net health plans as they work with providers and caregivers in their communities to improve the health and well being of vulnerable populations cost-effectively. Collectively, ACAP plans serve nearly 10 million enrollees, more than one-third of all beneficiaries enrolled in Medicaid managed care.

About Health Integrated

Health Integrated lowers health care costs and improves lives by delivering products and services powered by the behavioral sciences and clinical informatics. We are experts in examining the interplay of behavioral and physical health and use innovative care management techniques to minimize health care costs by effectively addressing the "whole person". Our holistic, integrated approaches help individuals realize better clinical outcomes as pathways to living healthier, happier, more productive lives. For more information, visit www.healthintegrated.com.

SOURCE Health Integrated