Dive Brief:
- United HealthGroup subsidiary Harken Health plans to open eight new health centers in Atlanta and Chicago by 2017, the Star Tribune reported.
- The Minnetonka-based carrier started selling plans in January, enrolling about 33,000 people in the first quarter, according to a regulatory filing.
- The announcement comes as UnitedHealth is pulling out of the ACA exchange markets in a number of states due to financial losses.
Dive Insight:
Launched last year, the independent subsidiary offers free primary care at its clinics. UnitedHealth invested $65 million to get Harken Health and its enhanced primary care model up and running. The model is expected to reduce overall costs.
The company is focused on the individual insurance market, both in the private sector and the Obamacare exchanges.
Currently, Harken Health has four health centers in Cook County, IL, and six in Atlanta. It plans to open six more in the Chicago area and two more in Atlanta. The health centers offer an array of lifestyle and wellness programs in addition to primary care.
Harken Health CEO Tom Vanderheyden said in a statement that more expansion news is coming, but declined to provide further details. He previously has made clear that UnitedHealth’s decision to pull out of the Georgia exchange won’t impact Harken Health.