Bright Health to Bring Its Innovative Care Partner Health Plan Model to Tennessee in Expansion That Includes Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville Regions

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Bright Health announced details of its market expansion into three key markets in Tennessee where it will offer Individual and Family Plans (IFP) and Medicare Advantage with Prescription Drug coverage (MAPD) plans through new partnerships with three leading health systems. Bright Health filed paperwork with the federal government to begin offering both IFP and MAPD plans in Tennessee during this fall's annual open enrollment period.

Bright Health will be offering individual health plans to residents of the greater Memphis and Knoxville metropolitan areas, and both individual plans and Medicare Advantage with Prescription Drug coverage plans to residents of the Nashville area. In each region, Bright Health has teamed up with a single Care Partner per market to give members access to more affordable, top-quality healthcare—in Memphis, the partnership is with Baptist Memorial Health Care, who has been providing care across the Mid-South for more than 100 years; in the Knoxville area, they've partnered with The University of Tennessee Medical Center, which includes the city's top-rated hospital for the past six years; and in Nashville, it's with TriStar Health, the region's largest and most comprehensive health system in the Middle Tennessee market.

"Bright Health is committed to expanding access to the growing number of people in need of individual health plans and quality healthcare – both in Tennessee and across the country," said Bob Sheehy, Bright Health's co-founder and chief executive officer. "Baptist Memorial, TriStar and The University of Tennessee Medical Center have each demonstrated a unique ability to provide superior, personalized care to millions of patients each year, and we are thrilled to partner with them to meet the healthcare needs of hardworking Tennesseans."

Regarded as one of the premier health care systems in the nation, Baptist Memorial Health Care and the Baptist Health Services Group comprise an award-winning network, dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality care for patients. Bright Health members will have access to Baptist Memorial providers and hospitals in Memphis and the surrounding areas, including Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women, Spence and Becky Wilson Baptist Children's Hospital and Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis—a major referral center for patients from across the Mid-South.

TriStar Health is middle-Tennessee's largest, most comprehensive provider, offering unparalleled access to quality healthcare to surrounding communities. Treating over 625,000 patients a year, TriStar Health's network includes 10 hospitals, nearly 60 medical group offices, 13 Care Now Urgent Care Centers, and The Children's Hospital at TriStar Centennial.

The University of Tennessee Medical Center provides superior care, treatment, and healthcare support for residents of East Tennessee. The medical center's network includes Knoxville's top-rated hospital, as well as six centers of excellence, two regional health centers, four urgent care locations, numerous outpatient health facilities and primary care practices, and more than 1,000 additional physicians through their affiliation with the University Physicians' Association.

"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 Sheehy. "Our Care Partner Health Plans are built to highlight the strengths of leading health systems like Baptist Memorial, TriStar and The University of Tennessee Medical Center with integrated care across specialties and predictable out-of-pocket spending. This Care Partner Health Plan eliminates the friction that has existed between providers and insurers in the past, allowing Tennesseans to focus on what really matters – their health."

Bright Health has filed with the Tennessee Department of Insurance to begin offering Individual and Family Plans and has received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS") for its Tennessee Medicare Advantage plans. Starting with the 2019 plan year, both the individual and the Medicare Advantage with prescription drug coverage plans will be available to Tennessee residents in qualifying counties via the website, BrightHealthplan.com, call center, broker partners and the HealthCare.gov website. The open enrollment period began October 15^th for Medicare and for individual health plans, it will begin November 1^st.

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 Baptist Memorial Health Care

One of the country's largest not-for-profit health care systems, Baptist Memorial Health Care offers a full continuum of care to communities throughout the Mid-South. The Baptist system, which consistently ranks among the top integrated health care networks in the nation, comprises 21 affiliate hospitals in West Tennessee, Mississippi and East Arkansas; more than 5,000 affiliated physicians; Baptist Medical Group, a multispecialty physician group with more than 750 providers; home, hospice and psychiatric care; minor medical centers and clinics; a network of surgery, rehabilitation and other outpatient centers; and an education system highlighted by the Baptist College of Health Sciences. The Baptist system employs more than 18,000 people, and in fiscal year 2015, contributed $313 million in community benefit to areas it serves. For more information, please visit www.baptistonline.org.

About TriStar Health

TriStar Health is the largest, most comprehensive healthcare provider in Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky, supporting over 625,000 patients and nearly 460,000 emergency room visits annually. TriStar Health comprises 10 hospitals, 14 emergency rooms, 21 imaging locations, 13 CareNow Urgent Care centers, 58 TriStar Medical Group provider office locations and related care areas conveniently located in communities around the region. Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at TriStar Health, part of HCA's global network of cancer experts, offers a full range of services for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, as well as comprehensive rehabilitation. Additional specialty care includes pediatric services provided through The Children's Hospital at TriStar Centennial, advanced cardiology services provided through TriStar Centennial Heart & Vascular Center, and behavioral health services provided through TriStar Centennial Parthenon Pavilion and TriStar Skyline Madison Campus. Services are supported by over 1,600 physicians and nearly 10,200 employees – including more than 4,000 nurses - who, above all else, are committed to the care and improvement of human life. TriStar Health is an affiliate of HCA, one of the nation's leading providers of healthcare services. Learn more at TriStarHealth.com.

About The University of Tennessee Medical Center

The mission of The University of Tennessee Medical Center, the region's only hospital to achieve status as a Magnet® recognized organization, is to serve through healing, education and discovery. UT Medical Center, a 625-bed, not-for-profit academic medical center, serves as a referral center for Eastern Tennessee, Southeast Kentucky and Western North Carolina. The medical center, the region's only Level I Trauma Center, is one of the largest employers in Knoxville. For more information about The University of Tennessee Medical Center, visit online at www.utmedicalcenter.org.

SOURCE Bright Health

Related Links

http://BrightHealthPlan.com