Clover Health has started an in-home primary care program for Medicare beneficiaries in New Jersey.
The Medicare Advantage startup was co-founded by CarePoint Health founder Vivek Garipalli, and is based in San Francisco.
The new program, which includes genomic testing capabilities provided by YouScript — a Seattle-based company that claims to prevent 1 in every 9 emergency visits for patients through “tools (that) predict and prevent adverse drug events and treatment failures,” according to its website.
The program intends to address hospital admissions and readmissions, according to a statement from Clover.
“Our main focus as a company is to improve the quality of life for each and every Clover member and physician,” Garipalli said. “We are constantly identifying new ways to improve member outcomes using new data streams and advanced models of care. Our in-home care program combines our expertise as a data and technology company with our ongoing joint desire to bring access and care directly to those most in need.”
Citing a Congressional agency, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, Clover aims to address the costliest 5 percent of Medicare beneficiaries, who account for 42 percent of annual spending and 40 percent of hospital admissions and readmissions.
To-date, Clover has at least 500 New Jerseyans enrolled in the new program, and anticipates scaling up. It is available for some eligible members at no additional cost, the company said.
“YouScript’s technology simulates a team of clinical pharmacists delivering evidence-based guidance in real time, and this in-home program validates our impact at scale,” said YouScript CEO Kristine Ashcraft. “We are excited to work with Clover Health, to provide the tools necessary to identify and positively impact the most at-risk patients, while bending the healthcare cost curve.”
The program is being spearheaded by Sophia Chang, Clover’s chief clinical informatics officer, and Kumar Dharmarajan, its chief scientific officer.
“Through this program, we are taking full accountability for our patients’ care and health outcomes,” Dharmarajan said. “Our No. 1 priority is to provide exceptional in-home primary care, and we’ve built a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals who are responsive 24/7 to achieve this goal. To do this, we are using data, technology and care innovations to further improve our members’ lives.”
