Wider Circle’s Community Approach Has Shown to Reduce Costs
Redwood City, CA (September 24, 2024) – Wider Circle, which builds peer-driven communities nationwide to help people improve their health and quality of life through trusted connections, announced a partnership with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Community Health Plan Maryland (CareFirst CHPMD). CareFirst is one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit healthcare organizations. Wider Circle is working with their Medicaid plan to enhance member engagement and improve health outcomes by fostering strong, supportive community ties. The partnership supports CareFirst CHPMD’s commitment to reaching members where they live, play, and thrive by building community-centered connections throughout Maryland. Through this partnership, Wider Circle is helping CareFirst CHPMD enhance member engagement and improve health outcomes by building community ties.
Wider Circle collaborates with health plans and providers to develop peer-to-peer programs led by individuals from the community. This approach has been shown, through an actuarially validated model, to reduce plan attrition by 50%, reduce inpatient visits, and generate value of over $100 per month for Medicare Advantage and Medicaid members. By building strong community connections and a shared purpose, Wider Circle has become the trusted link between the healthcare system and members, resulting in lower healthcare costs and improved health outcomes.
“We’re thrilled to be working with CareFirst to expand our services in Maryland Medicaid, showcasing the value of our peer-driven model, which promotes healthier behaviors and strengthens the social fabric in these underserved communities. By creating trusted connections and support networks, we help members achieve better health outcomes and enhance overall well-being. This expansion marks another significant milestone for Wider Circle, enabling us to reach more individuals across the nation and further support our healthcare partners by reducing costs while improving quality and member retention,” said Darin Buxbaum, Co-founder and CEO of Wider Circle.
“Making sure our communities are informed and educated about services available to them is one of our biggest priorities as we look to improve health outcomes,” said Mike Rapach, President and CEO of CareFirst Community Health Plan Maryland. “Wider Circle’s unique approach to member engagement should help close gaps in care for our members and community by connecting them to the resources they need in addition to driving down costs for them.”
The new partnership follows Wider Circle’s recent expansion in Arizona, where the company is supporting beneficiaries eligible for Medicare and Medicaid by using the proven peer-to-peer model to build connections, educate on preventive care, and maintain regular engagement with primary care physicians and health plan care managers.
Wider Circle’s people-first approach improves patient outcomes and increases member retention for payers and providers. By offering programs that serve members in thousands of communities nationwide, Wider Circle addresses a range of issues beyond preventive healthcare, including maternal health and chronic diseases like hypertension, kidney disease, COPD, asthma, and diabetes. This comprehensive support system enhances overall health and helps healthcare partners reduce costs and improve the quality of care.
About Wider Circle
Wider Circle works with health plans and providers nationally to deliver unique community care programs that connect neighbors for better health. Centered on trusted relationships, Wider Circle connects health plan members with like-minded neighbors to inform, support and motivate one another, empowering them to be more proactive about their health. Wider Circle’s trusted delivery network has been proven to drive resilience, improve member experience and engagement, and reduce inappropriate utilization and has been published in peer-reviewed literature. Today, Wider Circle offers its unique neighborhood care programs to tens of thousands of communities nationwide. To learn more, visit widercircle.com.
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Press Contact:
Wider Circle – Jennifer St. Clair – Jennifer@hellostclair.com
SVM – Maggie Vautrinot – WiderCircle@svmmarcom.com
