Anthem Subsidiary Brands Aim to Boost Member Care, Unify Health Plans

Ahead of its rebranding to Elevance Health, Anthem has announced two subsidiary brands that aim to improve member care through technology services and unite its public and private health plans.

“An important part of being a lifetime, trusted health partner is grounded in our ability to ensure consumers have access to services that will meet their whole health needs across their entire healthcare journey,” Gail K. Boudreaux, president and chief executive officer of Anthem, said in the press release.

“The addition of our new brands to our family of companies will bring together services and products within their respective brands that further integrate our business and health expertise across the industry to solve complex challenges and improve consumers’ lives.”

The first subsidiary brand is Carelon, a healthcare services brand that utilizes digital technologies to provide members with complete care and address healthcare challenges. Anthem’s existing capabilities and services will be consolidated under Carelon, which will serve one in three people across the country.

The brand offers integrated whole-person care services, behavioral healthcare services, a digital platform, and technology solutions, according to the press release. Anthem aims to improve care, enhance efficiencies across its system, and reduce healthcare costs by leveraging these digital services.

The payer plans to fully transition its capabilities and services to the Carelon brand within the next two years.

“Carelon makes connected care possible for everyone by putting people at the center of what we do and delivering the right balance of care, technology, data-driven insights, and expertise to solve complex challenges and help consumers lead healthier lives,” Pete Haytaian, executive vice president of Anthem and president of Carelon, stated in the press release.

“Bringing together these solutions will help deliver our strategy, drive growth, and exceed expectations for care providers, consumers, and our other partners.”

The second subsidiary brand, Wellpoint, will focus on unifying Anthem’s Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial health plans and simplifying consumer interactions with their health plans, the payer said.

Anthem members will have access to Wellpoint’s services which aim to help consumers make healthcare decisions that support independence, confidence, and whole-person health.

“Unifying many of our non-Blue Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial health plans under one brand helps consumers, care providers, and the healthcare industry better understand how our organization works together to deliver our distinct set of products and services that address the health and wellbeing of those we serve,” said Boudreaux.

“Our Wellpoint health plans will continue to address consumer needs at a personal level, removing barriers and creating more meaningful connections across a lifetime of milestones and experiences.”

Launching the Wellpoint brand will not affect Anthem’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Blue Cross health plans, the press release noted.

Anthem will officially rebrand as Elevance Health on June 28, 2022.

Recently, the payer has taken strides to improve access to care for members.

For example, in May 2022, the Anthem Foundation granted $13 million to 15 organizations that focus on mental health and substance use disorder treatment.

In June 2022, the payer announced a partnership with a technology vendor to provide new mothers with a digital tool to support their maternal mental healthcare needs.

Anthem also recently finalized its acquisition of Integra Managed Care, which will join the payer’s government business division and expand the health plan’s Medicaid reach in New York.