Who: Dr. Jeffrey Brenner, 47
New role: Senior VP of integrated health and human services at UnitedHealthcare and leader of the insurer's myConnections business, which provides low-income individuals in Arizona, Michigan, New York and North Carolina with access to social, medical and behavioral services.
Background: Brenner in 2003 founded the Camden (N.J.) Coalition of Healthcare Providers, a not-for-profit that uses data to tackle the complex medical and social needs of high-risk patients. He was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship, also known as a “genius grant,” for his work at Camden. Brenner will leave this month.
Relationship with United: The Camden Coalition has worked with United in various partnerships for the past six years. Most recently, the insurer announced a three-year, $15 million partnership with Camden to create new models of care for the patients who drive most of the nation's healthcare spending. “I know we need to shift the payment model, and I think United has arrived at the same point of view,” Brenner said.
Moving to insurers: Brenner said his work at Camden will never rise to its full potential until payment models reflect the role of value-based care. “We've got to figure how to deliver better care at lower cost, and that's not going to be through aggressive negotiations over equipment and drug prices.”
