PHOENIX, Ariz. (September 22, 2023) — Vālenz^® Health announces a partnership with zakipoint Health as they introduce a fully integrated digital front door to care for self-insured employers and their members. Together, the two companies have created zConnect, a user-friendly mobile app that engages members and enhances access to key healthcare data — including cost and quality ratings, plan benefit details, comprehensive lists of in-network procedures and providers, and more.

The zConnect app, piloted among thousands of members, is now available for self-insured employers to integrate into their health plans for improving engagement and connecting members to the Valenz Healthcare Ecosystem Optimization Platform.

“It’s increasingly important to give members omnichannel access to the information they need – when and where they need it – to make more informed decisions about their care,” said Rob Gelb, Chief Executive Officer of Valenz. “Not only are we delivering a key provider search tool in zConnect, but we are also offering insights at every major touchpoint of the healthcare journey – from provider selection and one-on-one chats with nurse navigators to administrative features such as claims and care history, coverage details, ID cards, and much more. Engaging early and often with members via zConnect is a critical component of the Valenz promise to ensure smarter, better, faster healthcare.”

The zConnect app uses a simple, configurable approach to integrate data from the complete range of benefit partners: medical, pharmacy, vision, dental and more.

“Members have lacked price transparency, benefits navigation, and a clear understanding of what actions to take – creating massive inefficiencies in the way they consume healthcare,” said Ramesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of zakipoint Health. “By combining our member-facing and employer-facing tools with the unique work Valenz Health does to manage risks and costs, we have an effective offering for self-insured plans.”

Already utilized by thousands of members, zConnect aims to seamlessly decrease plan spend for employers while empowering members to take charge of their care for improved health outcomes.

“Expect Valenz and zakipoint Health to accelerate innovation and uncover new ways to expand the support from this solution, as together we facilitate the potential for greater consumerism in healthcare,” Kumar said.

More information can be found at valenzhealth.com/members/digital-solutions.

About Vālenz^® Health

Vālenz^® Health simplifies the complexity of self-insurance for employers through a steadfast commitment to data transparency and decision enablement powered by its Healthcare Ecosystem Optimization Platform. Offering a strong foundation with deep roots in clinical and member advocacy, alongside decades of expertise in the validation, integrity and accuracy of claims, and a suite of risk affinity solutions, Valenz optimizes healthcare for the provider, payer, plan and member. By leveraging data transparency and delivering an omnichannel approach across the healthcare journey, Valenz improves cost, quality and outcomes for employers and their members – engaging early and often for smarter, better, faster healthcare. More information is available at valenzhealth.com.

About zakipoint Health, Inc.

zakipoint Health is a company on a mission to bring transparency, direction and personalization to healthcare consumers, bringing all benefit services, data, insights and tools into one place for members on a self-insured plan. With a best-in-class platform, reporting, and engagement tools, we identify risks, drive action, connect with members and track success, empowering companies to reduce risk and costs while creating healthier, more engaged members.

PHOENIX, Ariz. (June 21, 2023) — Vālenz^® Health (“Valenz”) announced today a new equity investment from Kelso & Company (“Kelso”), a leading middle market private equity firm with a shared vision for accelerating positive change in the delivery of healthcare for the self-insured industry. Terms of the investment were not disclosed.

Valenz has a strong financial foundation secured by its initial investor Great Point Partners and further supported by its new partnership with Kelso. Valenz is exceptionally well positioned to continue its legacy as a disruptor in the healthcare ecosystem, bringing greater value to TPAs, providers, carriers, brokers, self-insured employers, and their members.

“We are excited to align with a capital partner who believes as intensely as we do in challenging the status quo of healthcare,” said Rob Gelb, Chief Executive Officer of Valenz. “Kelso instantly recognized the power of the Valenz Healthcare Ecosystem Optimization Platform and shares our commitment to ensuring deep data transparency across our transformative models of cost control, access, and member advocacy.”

The partnership with Kelso ensures a healthy future for Valenz, its 300+ employees and its growing customer base. “At Kelso, we are inspired by how Valenz solves challenges in the self-insured industry that others cannot. Their integrated ecosystem strategy, coupled with an expanding pipeline of point solutions, offers so many levers to accelerate growth and value for customers,” said Hank Mannix, Investment Partner. “We are thrilled to partner with a leadership team that dares to be great and approaches customer partnerships with a fundamental belief that smarter, better, faster healthcare is possible.”

With increased financial flexibility and partnership from Kelso, Valenz will further invest in organic and acquisitive growth, as well as its culture of innovation. “Expect key investments in our data warehouse, member-facing tools that simplify the complexities of healthcare, and new solutions to change the trajectory of rising health costs while creating delightful member experiences and ensuring strong, vigorous and healthy lives for everyone in our ecosystem,” Gelb said.

TripleTree, LLC acted as exclusive financial advisor to Valenz. Harris Williams acted as exclusive financial advisor to Kelso.

About Vālenz^® Health

Vālenz^® Health simplifies the complexities of self-insurance for employers through a steadfast commitment to data transparency and decision enablement powered by its Healthcare Ecosystem Optimization Platform. Offering a strong foundation with deep roots in clinical and member advocacy, alongside decades of expertise in the validation, integrity and accuracy of claims, and a suite of risk affinity solutions, Valenz optimizes healthcare for the provider, payer, plan and member. By leveraging data transparency and delivering an omnichannel approach across the healthcare journey, Valenz improves cost, quality and outcomes for employers and their members – engaging early and often for smarter, better, faster healthcare. More information is available at valenzhealth.com.

About Kelso & Company

Kelso & Company is one of the oldest and most established firms specializing in private equity investing. Since 1980, Kelso has invested approximately $19 billion of equity capital in 140 transactions. Kelso was founded by the inventor of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), and as a result, the principles of partnership and alignment of interest serve as the foundation of the firm’s investment philosophy. Kelso benefits from a successful investment track record, deep sector expertise, a long-tenured investing team, and a reputation as a preferred partner to management teams and corporates. Kelso has significant experience investing in healthcare and financial services. For more information, please visit kelso.com.

PHOENIX, Ariz. (Aug. 12, 2022) — Vālenz^® announced today it has acquired Certus Management Group Stop Loss, Inc. (CMG), a managing general underwriter providing certainty of stop loss protection to self-funded employee benefit plans since 1998.

CMG will become a Valenz Affinity Company and part of the Valenz Healthcare Ecosystem Optimization Platform, a fully integrated suite of solutions that simplifies the complexities of self-insurance through data transparency and decision enablement throughout the life of a claim. Additionally, the acquisition creates a new private label medical stop loss insurance solution, launching in market as a Valenz V-Rated solution. This solution enables the more efficient delivery of medical underwriting and risk mitigation services tailored to the needs of Valenz clients. All other CMG underwriting services will continue to be offered under the CMG trade name.

The Valenz V-Rated solution is an additive benefit for self-insured employers who engage with Valenz for a full ecosystem solution, including care management, member navigation enhanced with Care Value Optimizer (charity care and centers of excellence bundles), specialty drug solutions, contracted and open access success networks, and high-cost claim cost containment programs. When partnering with Valenz during the presale process, clients realize the full value of the ecosystem which allows them to contain medical costs more aggressively than less innovative offerings, while also potentially resulting in more competitive stop loss costs.

“We’re thrilled to welcome CMG to the Valenz family,” said Rob Gelb, Chief Executive Officer of Valenz. “Our companies are a great match for each other in their commitment to transparency, risk management, and financial protection from high-cost claims and escalating pharmaceutical and treatment costs. As Valenz continues to evolve and expand, we are excited to begin this new collaboration in delivering on our core promise: engaging early and often for smarter, better, faster healthcare.”

CMG will retain its trade name and adopt a new tagline: “A Valenz Affinity Company,” with a slightly updated logo to facilitate a more rapid association with Valenz. The core team of 18 will continue to remotely support CMG-integrated products and services at its current headquarters in Indianapolis.

“CMG and Valenz share a deep commitment to financial assurance for the self-insured industry, while also advocating for plan members and ensuring high-quality, cost-effective care,” said Brad Lewis, President and Chief Executive Officer of CMG. “As we join the Valenz team, we look forward to protecting and serving our clients as an integral part of their innovative, data-driven ecosystem.”

CMG’s line of stop loss products limits liability and eliminates the pitfalls that many employers view as obstacles to self-funding. It offers plan design and risk analysis, stop loss underwriting, firm renewals, and a guaranteed “no laser” contract for groups of all sizes – for plans of 11 participating employees and larger with specific retention levels from $10,000. CMG’s claim procedures also protect self-funded employers from cash flow issues that can result from unpredictable claim activity.

About Valenz

Vālenz^® simplifies the complexities of self-insurance by offering an end-to-end Healthcare Ecosystem Optimization Platform that manages the cost and quality of care for employers and their members. To balance the relationship between healthcare quality, advocacy and cost, the Valenz enterprise-level solution suite aligns the member, provider and payer. Supported by a dynamic, innovation-first culture and a steadfast commitment to data transparency and decision enablement, Valenz leverages its technology infrastructure and enterprise data warehouse to drive value across clinical and member advocacy, network development and the validation, integrity and accuracy (VIA) of claims.  Learn more about how Valenz engages early and often for smarter, better, faster healthcare. Valenz is backed by Great Point Partners.

About CMG

Certus Management Group has developed a line of stop loss products that limit the liability of a self-funded employer and eliminate the pitfalls that many employers view as obstacles of self-funding.  With more than 350 years of combined experience in the stop loss business, the CMG staff is among the most qualified in the industry. This experience enables CMG to provide employers with stop loss solutions that bring certainty to their self-funded plan. CMG maintains a strong relationship with two carrier partners, SiriusPoint America Insurance Company (Rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best), and Gerber Life Insurance Company (Rated A (Excellent) by A. M. Best). Each carrier shares CMG’s vision of the stop loss marketplace and offers the stability of a well-established insurance company.

Learn more at certusmg.com.