Cleveland Clinic jumps into insurance market in joint venture with Oscar

The Cleveland Clinic will offer plans on the individual insurance market in five Ohio counties next year through a new joint venture with New York-based insurer Oscar.

According to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, the partnership will lean heavily on Oscar’s tech-based approach, with an emphasis on telehealth and preventive care, while having limited benefits outside the Cleveland Clinic system. The plans will be available both on and off the Affordable Care Act exchanges in Cuyahoga, Lake, Medina, Lorain and Summit counties.

“I do want to acknowledge the turmoil and the uncertainty around the public exchange and the public marketplace,” said Kevin Sears, the clinic's executive director of market and network services. “That said, the individual insurance segment is not going anywhere. We expect it will grow for some.”

Oscar itself had exited the individual market in Dallas and New Jersey, but CEO Mark Schlosser said those markets were unstable, a label he wouldn’t attach to Ohio.

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John Gregory, Senior Writer

John joined TriMed in 2016, focusing on healthcare policy and regulation. After graduating from Columbia College Chicago, he worked at FM News Chicago and Rivet News Radio, and worked on the state government and politics beat for the Illinois Radio Network. Outside of work, you may find him adding to his never-ending graphic novel collection.

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