It’s that time again!!! Elevance Earnings Call....
Elevance Health's recent 4th quarter earnings report casts Carelon in the starring role of revenue generator and growth driver. It is a narrative that, I believe warrants, scrutiny. Acquisitions like Paragon Healthcare, expanded Carelon's footprint in the arena of infusible and injectable therapies. On the surface, this could be seen as a strategic move to bolster whole-person health care, I see a need for deeper examination of the motives and potential conflicts inherent in Elevance's business model.
The aggressive expansion of Carelon, particularly its increasing entanglement with Elevance's commercial business and access to other Blues, raises significant ethical concerns. As Carelon broadens its services to cater more to commercial health clients, particularly self-funded ones, the waters of impartiality become murky. The intertwined relationship between insurer and service provider blurs the lines of competition, potentially stifling the very essence of fair market practices.
My question: with Carelon serving both roles, is there an incentive to negotiate in good faith, or does this symbiosis lead to a softening of the bargaining stance that could otherwise benefit consumers through more competitive pricing?
Financial figures from the report show a rosy picture for Carelon, with operating revenue in the segments reaching $12.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023, marking a 14 percent increase from the previous year. This growth, however, only tells half the story. "Operating gain in the Carelon segments was $592 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, an increase of $78 million, or 15 percent from fourth quarter 2022," the report states, highlighting improved performance in Carelon Services businesses. These numbers are impressive.
As Carelon's capabilities grow, so does its market power with Elevance commercial clients and other Blues, potentially edging out competition and leading to a less diverse healthcare ecosystem where one entity holds disproportionate sway.
While Elevance's 4th quarter earnings showcase Carelon's success, they also highlight the need for a critical examination of the broader implications of its business strategy, which is not unique to Elevance.
Julia PosackiAsha GeorgeStephen CarrabbaDawn CornelisJustin LeaderLeon WisniewskiJeffrey HoganDarren FogartyMarilyn BartlettVerSan Consulting, LLCDeb AultDavid ContornoEmma Fox, CHVA 🎙Spencer Smith, CSFS®Dave Chase, Health Rosetta-discovering archaeologist