Vālenz® Health Names Frederick Karutz as Executive Vice President, Strategic Solutions

PHOENIX, Ariz. (December 22, 2023) — Vālenz® Health announces that Frederick Karutz has joined the executive leadership team as Executive Vice President, Strategic Solutions. In his new role, Karutz will drive transformative value for health plans, employers and members through a solution suite that delivers optimal care navigation and management, payment integrity and risk mitigation for exceptional customer experiences and savings.

An early innovator in consumer-driven healthcare, Karutz brings more than 25 years of expertise in analytics-supported care engagement and member-centered solutions, most notably for members with complex and emerging needs. He comes to Valenz after serving as President for Carelon Advocacy, where he worked with health plans to unlock personalized engagement for high-risk, emerging-risk and complex-care members.

“Fred is a true champion of everything Valenz Health stands for in serving the member: engaging early and often to ensure better outcomes at lower costs of care through a culture of innovation,” said Rob Gelb, Chief Executive Officer of Valenz. “His tremendous background and skills in leveraging data-driven, member-centric programs and solutions make him an outstanding fit for our company as we lead the way toward optimizing cost, utilization and quality for all.”

Karutz has deep experience in leveraging advanced analytics to identify at-risk members and engage them with health plan programs, point solutions and providers, driving significant improvements in health outcomes, claims trend reductions and average savings.

Karutz also directed growth, sales enablement and marketing efforts on behalf of the Advanced Analytics and Services division within Carelon. Before that, he led consumer-based programs, strategy, growth, marketing, and product development functions for companies including AIM Specialty Health, ConnectedHealth, Health Care Services Corporation, Silverlink and GoHealth.

“The Valenz continuum of solutions delivers significant and immediate cost savings for health plans, employers and other payers, as well as optimal care navigation and management for members. It’s a timely, winning combination for smarter, better, faster healthcare,” Karutz said.

An active member of his community in Chicago, Karutz was a member of Greater Leadership of Chicago; served as Vice Chairman with Instituto del Progresso Latino, helping the organization establish the Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy; and has been a board member with AgeOptions for more than 14 years. He also has developed an innovative healthcare internship program for high school seniors sponsored over the years by HCSC, Anthem and Carelon.

Karutz earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Northwestern University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

About Vālenz® Health  

Valenz Health is the platform to simplify healthcare – the destination for employers, payers, providers and members to reduce costs, improve quality, and elevate the healthcare experience. The Valenz mindset and culture of innovation combine to create a distinctly different approach to an inefficient, uninspired health system. With its fully integrated solution, Valenz executes across the entire patient journey – from care navigation and management to payment integrity, risk solutions and provider validation. With a 99% client retention rate, we elevate expectations to a new level of efficiency, effectiveness and transparency where smarter, better, faster healthcare is possible.
For more information: valenzhealth.com

Without Agreement and Alignment, Acquisitions Can’t Succeed

PHOENIX, Ariz. (Nov. 17, 2023) — Rob Gelb, Chief Executive Officer of Vālenz® Health, discusses his success in navigating the what/why of agreement and the how/who/when of alignment during the acquisition and integration of new businesses into the Valenz organization. Read how that discipline transcends M&A into successful leadership processes for the entire company. Learn more about  Rob’s insights on agreement and alignment in his Forbes article here.

As originally published on Forbes.com as part of the Forbes Finance Council.

Vālenz® Health Names Jennifer Graber as Senior Vice President, Client Services

PHOENIX, Ariz. (November 9, 2023) — Vālenz® Health announces that Jennifer Graber, CEBS, has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Client Services.

With executive leadership experience across the industry, Graber has more than 25 years of expertise in client management, business strategy, sales, employee benefits and health insurance. She comes to Valenz after serving as Manager of Strategic Partnerships with TrueScripts Management Services, a privately held pharmacy benefit manager. Previously, she held key positions in client solutions and sales at Mercer, Meritain Health, Welltok Inc., and Blue Cross Blue Shield in Nebraska.

Graber’s leadership role in client services will emphasize building and fostering strong customer relationships, helping colleagues and clients succeed by leveraging the fully integrated Valenz platform of comprehensive cost-containment and member-centered solutions.

“Jen is a longtime proven leader who has tremendous passion for serving her clients, positioning them for success, and delivering the results they need,” said Nathan Nelson, Chief Revenue Officer. “She champions full transparency, innovations in cost containment, and outstanding customer support – perfectly aligning with our vision and the strong, vigorous and healthy mindset that is core to our brand and the entire team.”

With bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Nebraska, Graber also holds the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist designation from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She will be based in Omaha, Neb.

“Valenz is achieving something very unique in the market. I am thrilled to be part of how Valenz is driving groundbreaking change and creating the health plan of the future,” Graber said. “My highest priority has always been putting clients first and creating genuine partnerships with all stakeholders, which fits so well within the Valenz culture. I’m looking forward to supporting our customers at every step of the way toward better, smarter, faster healthcare.”

About Vālenz® Health

Vālenz® Health simplifies the complexity of self-insurance for employers by consolidating health plan solutions on a single platform. Valenz has 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. With a steadfast commitment to data transparency and decision enablement, and an omnichannel approach across the healthcare journey, Valenz engages early and often to optimize healthcare for the provider, payer, plan and member, delivering improved cost, quality and outcomes for employers and their members – for smarter, better, faster healthcare. More information is available at valenzhealth.com.