Anthem Announces Finalization of Integra Managed Care Acquisition

Anthem has finalized its acquisition of Integra Managed Care, the payer announced.

Integra is a managed care company that offers managed long-term care plans. The organization serves four areas in the state of New York: New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester. It will provide services to Anthem members who have disabilities or who require long-term care.

Integra will join the major payer’s government business division. The acquisition is strategically focused on the public payer space: the addition of Integra will expand Anthem’s ability to serve Medicaid beneficiaries in New York.

“We’re pleased to complete this acquisition and work alongside our new colleagues as we continue to grow our Medicaid business and enhance the healthcare experience for all of our members,” said Felicia Norwood, executive vice president of Anthem’s government business division. 

“Anthem and Integra’s shared commitment to deliver high quality, comprehensive whole-health care across communities throughout New York ensures that our members will continue to receive the care and support services that they have come to expect.”

Integra serves 40,000 Medicaid members. Members receive support from a care management team that includes a social worker. Additionally, a care coordinator helps with arranging to meet the member’s long-term care needs.

Anthem did not release any financial information about the deal.

The payer announced its plans to acquire Integra in November 2021. Prior to Anthem’s acquisition, Integra was a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Personal Touch Holding Corporation.

“This acquisition aligns with our goal of growing Anthem’s Medicaid business, while serving our members with a comprehensive and coordinated approach to care,” Norwood said at the time of the original announcement.

In addition to expanding its government business division, Anthem has used acquisitions to enhance its home healthcare services capabilities. The payer announced plans to acquire myNEXUS in March 2021 and only a month later the deal was completed, as projected.

In both the acquisition of myNEXUS and the acquisition of Integra, executives at Anthem cited whole-person care as a key motivator.

For those with long-term care needs, whole-person care is critical, specifically for those living with a serious illness or in need of palliative care, a study from AHIP found. The aging population also brings this conversation to the forefront.

The study emphasized that case managers are key to providing holistic care for palliative care needs or for those who have serious illnesses. Such a role can help take on the burden of care planning, navigating benefits, and overall case management as well as communicating with caregivers. Additionally, case managers can provide support for social determinants of health needs.

All of these elements factor into a whole-person care approach for a person in long-term care.

In a study that Anthem commissioned, experts revealed that integrated health care benefits can be crucial for whole-person care as well. Such benefits bring together pharmacy needs with supplemental healthcare and additional benefits data in order to improve care coordination.

The acquisition of Integra intends to bolster the payer’s government business in Medicaid but also aims to enable better whole-person care options for members as they seek long-term care.