Tufts & Harvard Merger Broker Communication
September 13, 2019
Dear Client,
Tufts Health Plan recently announced it signed an agreement with Harvard Pilgrim Health Care to combine organizations, creating a nonprofit regional health plan focused on addressing what we know is important to you, your employees and their families – improving affordability, access and the member experience.
I wanted to connect with you to begin what will be ongoing communications and reiterate some important points about the process ahead. Our priority is to provide you with information on what is happening and what it means to you and your employees. For the immediate future, however, it is business as usual.
Until closing, Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim remain separate organizations and as such, operate independent of each other. No changes will or can occur prior to regulatory approval and closing of the combination, which is anticipated for mid to late 2020.
- Any contracts executed prior to the close date, for new or existing groups, will be honored for the entire contract period, even if that time period extends beyond the close date.
- We do not anticipate any changes in account relationships as a result of this announcement; however, any changes will be discussed with you in advance as we have done in the past.
- Similar to employer contracts, provider and vendor contracts will also be honored through their respective end dates.
- Changes as a result of the integration of products or administrative platforms will take place after the close date, and are not anticipated for at least 12-24 months. One of the key goals of this combination is to enhance the capabilities of our products and services for our respective clients and members.
I want to personally thank you for your business, support and confidence in us. We look forward to continuing to provide the coverage and service you have come to expect from Tufts Health Plan. Please do not hesitate to contact your account manager or me should you have questions.
Sincerely,
Marc Backon
President, Commercial Division
Tufts Health Plan