CVS Health, Humana, Ochsner Health, and Unite Us Join Forces to Support Unite Louisiana, Expanding Social Care Throughout the State

- New partners will enable Unite Louisiana, the statewide social care network, to further expand into more parishes and broaden access to care in response to COVID-19 challenges

News provided by

Unite Us

Nov 18, 2020, 10:10 ET

NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Unite Us, the technology company building coordinated care networks nationwide, today announced that its Unite Louisiana network has partnered with CVS Health, Humana, and Ochsner Health in an effort to expand and improve community health and social care throughout the state.

Unite Louisiana was established in partnership with Louisiana Association of United Ways and Louisiana 211. The network connects clinicians and social service providers through Unite Us' shared technology platform, to serve the health and social needs within communities and parishes statewide. Unite Louisiana is currently in 14 parishes and growing. As COVID-19 continues to spread across the country, access to basic needs such as food, health care, housing, and economic resources are strained more than ever. Unite Louisiana bridges the care gap for the basic needs of Louisianans, now extending into New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport with these new partnerships. The Unite Louisiana network is also supported by Aetna Better Health of Louisiana and Louisiana Healthcare Connections.

"Unite Us has been doubling down on its efforts across the country to ensure Americans are receiving the care they need during these volatile times. Louisiana residents need access to care now more than ever, as COVID-19 cases continue to be high across the state," said Taylor Justice, president of Unite Us. "As we continue to expand Unite Louisiana, joining forces with CVS Health, Humana, and Ochsner Health was the natural next step."

Here are some examples of how these partners are utilizing the network to serve their patients and communities in Louisiana:

Care Managers at Louisiana Healthcare Connections are using Unite Us to connect Medicaid members with social services.
Care Managers at Aetna Better Health of Louisiana are using the platform to connect their Medicaid and Dual-eligible Special Needs Plan (DSNP) members with social services.
Care Managers at Humana are using Unite Us' technology to connect their Medicare Advantage members and DSNP members with social services.
Teams across Ochsner Health, including the Digital Medicine team and Outpatient Case Management team, are using Unite Us to coordinate social services for their patients.
"When helping people on their path to better health, we value innovation and collaboration. Unite Louisiana brings together community-focused companies to help Louisianans get access to the resources and support they need," said Richard Born, CEO, Aetna Better Health of Louisiana, a CVS Health company.

Louisiana's daily case rate has remained high and there continues to be a need for electronic connectivity among community-based organizations during the pandemic, especially in rural areas of the state. With the addition of CVS Health, Humana, and Ochsner Health, Unite Louisiana is now connecting even more Louisianans to critical resources through a single entry point, which is crucial to reduce exposure and provide support during the pandemic and enable a no-wrong-door approach for anyone in need.

"This strategic partnership with Unite Louisiana helps us continue to focus on both community and business integration to improve clinical and social health outcomes for individuals throughout the state. We see this as an investment that drives real and lasting change for those who need social support," said Matt Berger, President-Gulf States at Humana.

Unite Louisiana's impact has been critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since April 1 2020, the network has grown by 70 percent. In that same time period, the network has been meeting community demand particularly around food assistance requests, with nearly 98 percent resolution of food assistance service episodes.

"We are excited to be working with Unite Us to provide critical resources to underserved communities across Louisiana," said Kevin Green, Vice President, Community Based Clinics at Ochsner Health. "As we continue to face COVID-19, this is the time to invest in the people we serve and provide support to create a healthier region. Together, Ochsner and Unite Us can help remove barriers and support the foundation of a healthier life for our community."

Unite Louisiana currently serves 14 parishes across the New Orleans, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport regions, including Acadia, Ascension, Bossier, Caddo, East Baton Rouge, Evangeline, Iberia, Jefferson, Lafayette, Orleans, St. Landry, St. Martin, Vermillion, and West Baton Rouge parishes. Interested community-based organizations can learn more about joining the network at Louisiana.UniteUs.com.

About Unite Us:

Unite Us is a technology company that builds coordinated care networks of health and social service providers. With Unite Us, providers across sectors can send and receive secure referrals, track every person's total health journey, and report on tangible outcomes across a full range of services in a centralized, cohesive, and collaborative ecosystem. Unite Us' dedicated team builds authentic, lasting partnerships with local organizations to ensure their networks have a solid foundation, launch successfully, and continue to grow and thrive. This social infrastructure helps communities transform their ability to work together and measure impact at scale. Follow Unite Us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

About CVS Health:

CVS Health employees are united around a common goal of becoming the most consumer-centric health company. We're evolving based on changing consumer needs and meeting people where they are, whether that's in the community at one of our nearly 10,000 local touchpoints, in the home, or in the palm of their hand. Our newest offerings from HealthHUB locations that are redefining what a pharmacy can be, to innovative programs that help manage chronic conditions are designed to create a higher-quality, simpler and more affordable experience. Learn more about how we're transforming health at www.cvshealth.com.

About Humana:

Humana, Inc. is committed to helping our millions of medical and specialty members achieve their best health. Our successful history in care delivery and health plan administration is helping us create a new kind of integrated care with the power to improve health and well-being and lower costs. Our efforts are leading to a better quality of life for people with Medicare, families, individuals, military service personnel, and communities at large.

To accomplish that, we support physicians and other health care professionals as they work to deliver the right care in the right place for their patients, our members. Our range of clinical capabilities, resources and tools – such as in-home care, behavioral health, pharmacy services, data analytics and wellness solutions – combine to produce a simplified experience that makes health care easier to navigate and more effective.

More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company's web site at www.humana.com , including copies of:

Annual reports to stockholders
Securities and Exchange Commission filings
Most recent investor conference presentations
Quarterly earnings news releases and conference calls
Calendar of events
Corporate Governance information

About Ochsner Health:

Ochsner Health is a system that delivers health to the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate. Ochsner Health is a not-for-profit committed to giving back to the communities it serves through preventative screenings, health and wellness resources and partnerships with innovative organizations that share our vision. Ochsner Health healed more than 876,000 people from across the globe in 2019, providing the latest medical breakthroughs and therapies, including digital medicine for chronic conditions and telehealth specialty services. Ochsner Health is a national leader, named the top hospital in Louisiana and a top children's hospital by U.S. News & World Report. As Louisiana's leading healthcare educator, Ochsner Health and its partners educate thousands of healthcare professionals annually. Ochsner Health is innovating healthcare by investing in new technologies and research to make world-class care more accessible, affordable, convenient and effective. Ochsner's team of more than 26,000 employees and 4,500 providers are working to reinvent the future of health and wellness in the region. To learn more about Ochsner Health, please visit www.ochsner.org. To transform your health, please visit www.ochsner.org/healthyyou.

SOURCE Unite Us