Caitlin Zulla is the new CEO of Optum subsidiary Surgical Care Affiliates, one of the largest ambulatory surgery center operators in the country, according to an internal memo obtained by Modern Healthcare.
Zulla has replaced Tony Kilgore, who has moved on to other opportunities, the company said. SCA, which operates more than 210 ASCs associated with more than 7,500 physicians, was acquired by UnitedHealth Group's Optum in 2017.
"Caitlin is a talented leader who has demonstrated tremendous abilities to build great teams, live our shared SCA and UnitedHealth Group values, and deliver outstanding results," the memo reads.
Zulla was the chief administrative officer and chief financial officer, where she oversaw the finance, human resources, revenue cycle, supply chain and information technology teams, among other departments. She was senior vice president of revenue cycle services at MedAssets prior to joining SCA in 2015.
Optum has been steadily growing its ASC division, physician network and other businesses in its diversified portfolio.
Optum grew revenue 13.3% to $28.8 billion in the third quarter, propelled by growth of care delivery and behavioral health services. Operating income was up 16.2% to $2.4 billion as its operating margin improved to 8.2%. The company expects Optum's revenues to grow 11% in 2019 to $112.1 billion, fueled by its OpumHealth division that houses SCA.
Meanwhile, UnitedHealthcare is ramping up its prior authorization policy intended to shift outpatient surgeries to lower-cost settings outside of the hospital.
