Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Explained

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care is a non-profit health services company based in Canton, Massachusetts serving the New England region of the United States.

On August 14, 2019, the boards of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan announced plans for the two insurers to merge their organizations into a new company. The new company serves 2.4 million members in Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.^[1] The merger completed on January 1, 2021, making the then unnamed company the second largest health insurer in Massachusetts.^{[2] [3]} On June 15, 2021, the new name of the parent company was announced as Point32Health, named for the 32 points on a compass.^[4]

Overview

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care was formed in 1994 from the merger of the Harvard Community Health Plan (HCHP) and the Pilgrim Health Plan. Harvard Community Health Plan had been founded in 1969. One of its founders was Maurice Lazarus.^{[5] [6]}

Harvard Pilgrim is home to the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, a collaboration with Harvard Medical School. As Harvard Medical School’s Department of Population Medicine, the Institute is the only appointing department of a U.S. medical school housed within a health plan. Funded primarily through external government and private sources, it provides information to the health care system on issues affecting population health and health care delivery.^[7]

Awards and recognition

• Boston Business Journal - a Best Place to Work (2003 - 2017)^{[8] [9]}
• Boston Business Journal - a Top Corporate Philanthropist (2007 - 2015)^[10]
• The Boston Globe - a Top Place to Work (2009 - 2015)^[11]
• Human Rights Campaign - a Best Place to Work (2013 - 2016)^[12]

Key people

• Charlie Baker, former CEO and governor of Massachusetts^[13]

Notes and References

1. News: Staff Writer . Tufts Health Plan, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care are combining . . 2019-08-14 . 2019-08-14 .
2. News: Dayal McCluskey . Priyanka . January 4, 2021 . Tufts and Harvard Pilgrim complete merger, creating big new health insurer . The Boston Globe.
3. Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care officially come together . Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. . January 4, 2021.
4. Web site: Dayal McCluskey. Priyanka. June 16, 2021. The state's second-biggest health insurer has a buzzy new name - The Boston Globe. 2021-06-24. BostonGlobe.com. en-US.
5. Web site: Maurice Lazarus, 88; Filene's President, Founder of HMO . Los Angeles Times. May 7, 2004 .
6. Web site: Maurice Lazarus, 88, Executive at Stores. New York Times. May 7, 2004.
7. Web site: Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute Approved for $4.5 Million Study on the Effect of Antibiotics on Weight Gain in Childhood Business Wire. www.businesswire.com. 2016-06-28.
8. Web site: Harvard Pilgrim Among Best Places to Work. en-US. 2016-06-28.
9. Web site: Boston Business Journal names the best places to work in Mass. for 2016. 2016-06-24. en-US. 2016-06-28.
10. Web site: Boston Business Journal names region's top corporate philanthropists - Boston Business Journal. 2016-06-28.
11. Web site: Boston Globe Top Workplaces 2015 - Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. 2016-06-28.
12. Web site: Best Places to Work 2016 Human Rights Campaign. Campaign. Human Rights. Human Rights Campaign. 2016-06-28. 2018-09-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20180909124004/http://www.hrc.org/resources/best-places-to-work-2016. dead.
13. Web site: Time, and timing, of City Council service. Warner. Marc. June 27, 2016. Daily Hampshire Gazette. June 28, 2016.