Press Release
Oscar Chooses Houston for Launch of its New Medicare Advantage Plans
Jul 17, 2019
Oscar will partner with top local health systems including Houston Methodist, HCA Houston Healthcare, Village Family Practice/VillageMD, St. Joseph Medical Center, IntegraNet, Privia Medical Group - Gulf Coast and others to deliver high-quality, affordable care to Houston residentsOscar to begin offering Medicare Advantage plans to Houston residents during the upcoming Annual Election Period for 2020, pending regulatory approvalHouston, TX, July 17 -- Oscar, a technology-driven, consumer-focused health insurer, is excited to announce that it has chosen Houston as one of the first cities in which it will launch its new Medicare Advantage plans, pending regulatory approval. Oscar’s decision to expand into Houston’s Medicare Advantage market will allow the company to bring its unparalleled member experience to more consumers. The new plans, once approved by regulators, will be available for enrollment during the Annual Election Period starting on October 15th. The decision to enter Houston follows four successful years serving communities in Texas, including San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, and Dallas. Today, Texas is home to one of Oscar’s largest membership bases. This long-standing presence has enabled Oscar to build strong relationships with provider partners, grow brand awareness, and develop a deep understanding of the communities it serves, setting them up for success in Houston. To launch these new Medicare Advantage plans, Oscar will be partnering with an excellent group of local health systems to deliver high-quality care. These partners include: Houston Methodist, HCA Houston Healthcare, Village Family Practice/VillageMD, St. Joseph Medical Center, IntegraNet and Privia Medical Group - Gulf Coast, in addition to a number of other high quality provider partners.Oscar has built its reputation on making the complicated health care system easy by helping its members find high-quality, affordable doctors and access care when and where it’s convenient. The benefits of Oscar include an easy-to-use website and mobile app, as well as free, 24/7 telemedicine. Oscar has also pioneered a Concierge service model in which members are personally supported by a dedicated group of care guides and nurses dedicated who get to know their members. A member’s Concierge Team is there to ensure members get the most out of their benefits, achieve their wellness goals, find the right doctors, and keep more money in their pockets without running into surprise costs. “Oscar has built an experience that meets our members where they are, no matter their age or health history,” said Oscar CEO Mario Schlosser. “We are confident that our proven track record of providing individual health insurance with a superior member experience makes us an ideal match for Medicare Advantage’s consumer-driven model. We look forward to taking the best care of our new members in Houston.” Oscar first announced that it would be entering the Medicare Advantage Market in August 2018, after a $375 million investment from Alphabet, Google’s parent company. Plans beginning January 1, 2020 will be available during the Medicare Advantage Annual Election Period, from October 15 to December 7, 2019, pending regulatory approval. Along with its entrance into Houston, Oscar will also offer Medicare Advantage plans in New York. Read more about Oscar’s Medicare Advantage plans in a blog post written by Oscar CEO, Mario Schlosser.About Oscar
Oscar is a technology-driven, consumer-focused health insurance startup founded in 2012 and headquartered in New York City. Oscar uses technology and personalized service to give members transparency into the health care system and empower them to choose quality, affordable care. The Oscar member experience includes a personalized concierge team that helps members do everything from finding a doctor to processing a claim, a 24/7 Doctor on Call service for members on the go, and a tightly integrated, curated network of first-rate physicians and hospitals. Members can easily access their health history and account information via hioscar.com and our iOS and Android apps. Say hi or learn more at https://hioscar.com or follow us at https://twitter.com/OscarHealth.