https://mailchi.mp/31b9e4f5100d/the-weekly-gist-june-03-2022?e=d1e747d2d8

The for-profit, 39-hospital Steward system manages 171K lives across the Medicare Advantage, Medicare shared savings, and Medicare direct contracting programs. This deal will allow Miami-based CareMax, a publicly-traded, value-based care company with 42 senior centers (mostly in Florida) and 34K lives under management, to expand across Steward’s footprint, which includes Texas and Arizona, states with rapidly growing Medicare populations.

The Gist: This deal is an example of the rise of venture-funded MSO (medical services organization) services that aim to subsume and scale value-based care functions from hospitals and medical groups. Steward wagers it can find greater success in managing risk in partnership with CareMax, moving a greater share of its Medicare population into risk, and outsourcing care management and patient engagement functions.

Many health systems have spent substantial resources building out accountable care organizations and risk-based Medicare businesses over the last decade. While selling these assets to a company like CareMax may be one way to generate a return, particularly for those frustrated by lower-than-anticipated gains from moving to value-based care, it also requires relinquishing control of functions likely central to the future health system business model.