Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Gawande Plans To Step Down As Haven's CEO To Focus On Threats To Health From COVID-19
Stat: Gawande Says He's Leaving Haven CEO Job To Focus On Covid-19
Atul Gawande on Wednesday confirmed that he will step down as chief executive of the health care company formed by Amazon, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Berkshire Hathaway, saying it will allow him to devote more time to addressing the threats posed by Covid-19. Gawande said in a statement posted on Haven’s website that he will stay on as chairman of Haven’s board of directors and that a search has begun for a new chief executive officer. Mitch Betses, a longtime executive with CVS Health who became Haven’s chief operating officer in March, will oversee day-to-day operations. (Ross, 5/13)
The Wall Street Journal: Atul Gawande Steps Down As Haven’s CEO
Dr. Gawande, a prominent surgeon and professor at Harvard University, is taking on the less operational role of chairman, while Chief Operating Officer Mitch Betses will manage daily operations, Haven said Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Dr. Gawande was in talks to step down from his role. Dr. Gawande, who took the helm in July 2018, said the shift would enable him to focus on policy and advocacy work amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The venture said it is looking for a new CEO. (Sebastian, 5/13)
CNBC: How Haven Could Change Health Care Even Without Atul Gawande
Despite his departure, many health industry insiders agree that there’s still a path forward for Haven. The key will be for the executive teams to rally behind this person in a big way, and for this new recruit to bring benefits into lockstep with their plans. Get it right, and there’s still big upside. “Innovative employers, partnered with the best providers, are most empowered to fix United States health care,” said Jonathan Slotkin, chief medical officer of Contigo Health, an employer health-focused company that was formed inside Premier. “It really will take a partnership of the providers who deliver care and the employers who pay for that care,” he said. (Farr, 5/13)
Bloomberg: Berkshire-JPMorgan-Amazon Health Venture CEO Gawande Steps Down
Haven’s announcement sparked fears that the employer-led venture could compete with health insurers. But its first plans worked through existing insurance carriers. JPMorgan offered plans to about 30,000 workers in Ohio and Arizona, Bloomberg News reported in November. The Haven plans didn’t subject workers to deductibles and offered incentives for wellness activities to offset medical costs, similar to other corporate health initiatives.Haven kept its operations under wraps for months, with little public evidence of the ambitious ideas the initial rollout seemed to promise. (Armstrong and Tozzi, 5/13)
Modern Healthcare: Haven CEO Dr. Atul Gawande Leaves That Role, Named Chairman Of The Board
The leadership change fuels skepticism about what the ultimate impact will be of Haven, which its founders described as an independent company "free from profit-making incentives and constraints" with the aim of improving employee satisfaction and reducing healthcare costs for their U.S. employees. The companies have shared little detail about their efforts and strategy since the group was formed in early 2018. Gawande, who was announced as its CEO less than two years ago, said as he reflected on how he could best contribute to Haven, chairman of the board was an ideal role. Mitch Betses, chief operating officer, will manage day-to-day operations as Haven searches for a new CEO. (Kacik, 5/13)
