Benefits industry roundup: Mergers, expansions, company recognitions
More health care options are available for Florida employers as Curative expands, while NBG and Nava Benefits combine to rebuild health plans to save mid-sized employers money - and take benefits complexity off HR's plate.
New territories
Curative’s setting up in Sunshine State: Curative Insurance Company, the innovator behind the game-changing no copay, no deductible health plan, has received Certificate of Authority approval from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. This approval paves the way for their groundbreaking employer-sponsored health insurance offering within the Sunshine State. Having already established a foothold in Texas, Curative’s health plan offers its members a holistic range of services—from wellness checkups, mental health support, primary and specialty care, office and hospital visits, to prescription coverage and telemedicine.
Gibson goes West: Gibson, an employee-owned, top-100 U.S. insurance agency which now serves clients in Arizona, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, has announced its entrance into Utah through the acquisition of Brisk Advisors. “This partnership is a pivotal moment in our company’s history, and we are honored to join Gibson,” said Taylor Covey, Managing Principal, Gibson, Salt Lake City. “By leveraging the strength, reach, and capabilities of Gibson, we will accelerate innovation and deliver expanded and enhanced commercial risk and employee benefits solutions to both current and future clients that help their businesses thrive.” Brisk Advisors has provided risk management and personal insurance solutions to clients for more than 50 years. “As we move forward together, the Utah team remains steadfast in its dedication to delivering the highest quality services and maintaining the excellent customer experience that our clients have come to expect,” said Covey.
Mergers & acquisitions
Mid-sized brokerage expansion: Nava Benefits, a modern benefits brokerage focused on making great benefits easy for mid-sized employers, today announced the acquisition of Nielsen Benefits Group (NBG), an award-winning benefits consulting firm with a proven track record of designing innovative benefits solutions that lower costs for mid-sized employers. This strategic move will unite two forward-thinking companies that share a vision for how technology can revolutionize the benefits service delivery model for employers and improve the member experience. “Essentially, together, NBG and Nava will combine our expertise to unbundle and rebuild health plans to: 1) save employers (and employees) money; 2) take benefits complexity off HR’s plate; and 3) positively impact the members’ health care journey, while helping to enhance the employee experience and ongoing benefit strategy and education plans,” said Ed Ligonde, executive vice president, NBG.
Virtual primary care launch: HealthJoy, a benefits navigation platform that amplifies employer benefit strategies to contain health care costs and helps members lead healthier lives, has announced an expanded partnership with Teladoc Health, the global leader in whole-person virtual care, to introduce virtual primary care. HealthJoy Virtual Primary Care, powered by Teladoc Health, provides a fully integrated primary care experience that supports members throughout their entire healthcare journey. “We’re in a unique position to support the one in three Americans who have little or no access to primary care,” said Justin Holland, CEO and co-founder, HealthJoy.
New health plans
Affordable health care: With more than 600,000 Tennesseans currently uninsured or underinsured due to rising costs, Knoxville-area health systems are teaming up to create a sustainable solution that supports access to affordable care. Employers and their employees in the greater Knoxville area now have a new health plan option provided through the East Tennessee Health Plan. The East Tennessee Health Plan provides employees access to quality comprehensive medical care while improving health care costs for employers. The East Tennessee Health Plan option is a strategic initiative by respected provider organizations, including The University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC), Tennova Healthcare and Summit Medical Group working with population health management programs administered through the American Health Data Institute (AHDI).
Gig workers & HDHPs: Sesame @ Work is a new, employer-focused approach to deliver truly affordable health care to participants, no matter their insurance status. Whether it’s an employer, benefits broker, gig platform or membership association, organizations can provide people access to the lowest cost healthcare in the U.S., at no cost to the company. Sesame is building a radically new healthcare system for uninsured Americans and those with high-deductible plans by bringing true marketplace dynamics to lower cost and provide immediate access to quality care.
Company recognitions
Health Rosetta awards: Gibson, an employee-owned, top-100 U.S. insurance agency, announced that two of its clients, Fastco Industries and American Licorice, have been honored by Health Rosetta with a national award for health plan excellence and stewardship. Fastco and American Licorice were two of only 50 employers or unions across the U.S. to be presented with a “Rosie Award” as part of Health Rosetta’s annual summit in Chicago … Simpara, a modern HR and benefits firm in St. Louis, MO dedicated to providing unique health care solutions, has announced that four of their esteemed clients – Woodard Cleaning & Restoration, Schaefer Autobody, Cosmos and Waterford Union High School – were honored by Health Rosetta Institute for providing employees one of “America’s Top 50 Health Plans.” Simpara founder and president, Adam Berkowitz says this is all about how forward-thinking employers “walk the talk” of putting their employees first. “Since our founding, we’ve remained steadfast that hard-working Americans deserve access to high-quality and affordable health care.”
Related: The future is now: How is technology impacting the benefits industry?
Personalized SMB benefits: PeopleKeep, the leader in personalized benefits for small to midsize organizations, was named the winner of a Silver Stevie® Award as the Computer Software Company of the Year in The 21st Annual American Business Awards® today. PeopleKeep is the only company that offers both HRA and stipend administration software, allowing employers to build an individualized benefits package without having to use multiple systems. “The Stevie is a great honor because it recognizes our strong efforts to help smaller companies compete in recruiting and keeping great employees by offering the most affordable, flexible, inclusive and tailored benefits,” said Victoria Glickman Hodgkins, PeopleKeep CEO.