Five Questions With: Corey McCarty

Massachusetts-based Commonwealth Care Alliance announced in May that Corey McCarty, a native Rhode Islander who has spent nearly his entire career in the health care industry, will lead CCA’s operations in the Ocean State. CCA will enter the Rhode Island market at the beginning of 2022. 

McCarty discusses his own background, why he joined CCA, and offers a peek at what the organization plans to offer people with complex health needs who are eligible for Medicare, Medicaid or both. 

PBN: Will you please share some of your experience in the health care industry prior to joining CCA? 

MCCARTY: I have worked in the health care sector throughout most of my professional career. Before joining Commonwealth Care Alliance, I worked with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island for more than 20 years, most recently serving as the organization’s vice president of consumer segment. In that role, I led BCBSRI’s Medicare line of business, growing enrollment by more than 80% since 2013.

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As a lifelong Rhode Islander with parents and other relatives, friends and loved ones who have relied on Medicare, I’ve developed a passion for working with our older and disabled adult population to deliver holistic, whole-person care that bridges the gaps created by social determinants of health and connects members with the resources necessary to help support their physical, mental and social well-being. I am proud and excited to continue to fulfill that passion in my role with CCA.

PBN: Why did you decide to join CCA to head its Rhode Island expansion? 

MCCARTY: The opportunity to work with an organization that is solely focused on serving Medicare-eligible individuals – especially an organization whose care model has the well-earned reputation as being among the most successful in the nation – was extremely attractive to me on both a professional and personal level.

CCA is well-known across the national health care industry for its success in addressing unmet social determinants of health and delivering high-quality care to individuals with significant needs.

I firmly believe that there is a clear need for CCA’s care model here in Rhode Island, and I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this effort. Plus, it was an opportunity to continue living and working in Rhode Island, the only home my family and I have ever known.

PBN: There are already a handful of health care organizations in the Ocean State that exclusively serve older patients. Can you share any thoughts on how CCA plans to distinguish itself in the market? 

MCCARTY: First, CCA’s reach extends well beyond the senior population. Our care model is designed to deliver uncommon care to high-risk, high-cost individuals of all ages who are eligible for Medicare, Medicaid or both, who have significant health needs.

As for what will set CCA apart in Rhode Island, I would point to our overarching organizational mission. Whereas other health care organizations operating in Rhode Island serve Medicare- and Medicaid-eligible individuals as a small piece of their business models, CCA’s sole focus is on this population. Every aspect of our decision-making process is driven by the goal of identifying, and ultimately providing care for traditionally hard-to-reach individuals with complex physical, mental and social needs.

PBN: Will CCA have a physical presence in Rhode Island, such as an office building or offices to serve members? 

MCCARTY: Yes, absolutely. We are currently in the process of both building our team here in Rhode Island, and determining the location of our physical Rhode Island headquarters. We hope to have more information on both of those efforts in the coming months.

Delivering high-quality, accessible health care is an inherently local endeavor, particularly when it comes to the traditionally underserved individuals we at CCA are committed to serving. As we enter the Rhode Island market, we understand the importance of being an active, engaged member of the local community, and our hiring strategies and community outreach activities will reflect that.

CCA’s president and CEO, Chris Palmieri, said in this publication that CCA has “no interest in simply being a Massachusetts company with a Rhode Island presence.” I am looking forward to building our team and proving that commitment through our actions.

PBN: Does CCA plan to offer home visits and care for members in Rhode Island? 

MCCARTY: When it comes to their health needs (and preferences), every individual member is different. One of the core functions of CCA’s care model is to meet our members where they are, and deliver the care they need where they need it, whether that’s in the doctor’s office, at a community health center, or elsewhere. We are committed to working with each and every one of our members on a personalized level to develop a care delivery strategy that works for them and their families. As we enter the Rhode Island market, home visits will certainly be a part of our solution.

Elizabeth Graham is a PBN contributing writer.