SCAN Health Plan Names Sachin Jain New CEO

Former CareMore Health CEO Sachin Jain, MD, MBA, perhaps best known for his effort to treat loneliness among seniors as a health issue, has been named CEO of the SCAN Group and the SCAN Health Plan, a not-for-profit that focuses on this growing population.

Jain, who will succeed Chris Wing, will start his new job July 1, 2020. SCAN is based in Long Beach, California.

“I am honored to lead SCAN at an inflection point that will be defined by growth, expansion, diversification, and innovation,” Jain said in a post today. “We are eager to partner with others to define the future of healthy aging and the care of the frail and vulnerable populations.”

There had been speculation where Jain would go next after a successful five-year run at CareMore, a division of Anthem; during his tenure Jain expanded CareMore’s offerings from 4 to 12 states and acquired Aspire Health, a network of outpatient palliative care services.

Jain, whose earlier ventures in health care transformation included being an original team member at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, in 2017 created “Be in the Circle: Be Connected,” an initiative tackle isolation among the Medicare population that affects 43 percent of adults over age 65. Jain identified loneliness as a precursor to health problems, such as stroke, obesity, and Alzheimer’s disease, that run up costs and contribute to decline. He appointed a Chief Togetherness Officer to tackle the lack of social connections that he said can do as much harm as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Now, Jain will take the helm of SCAN, founded as the Senior Care Action Network in 1977. Described in a statement as a “mission driven” health care organization, SCAN serves  215,000 members and has $2.4 billion in annual revenues. 

“Sachin has a deep passion for improving the health and wellness of older adults that is truly inspiring," said Francesca Ruiz de Luzuriaga, chair of the SCAN board, directors said in a statement. "His vision for health care's future and his determination to take on the big challenges facing those we serve is a natural fit with SCAN's mission.”

SCAN offers education programs, community funding, volunteer opportunities, and independence at Home, which offers support to seniors and their caregivers.

In the statement, Jain said the United States “desperately needs solutions for some of its most vexing problems,” and that he sees SCAN Health Plan as a long-term leader in this area. "As the US population of older adults grows, SCAN will continue to play a leading role in defining the future and pioneering new ways of improving quality and maintaining affordability for older adults,” Jain said.

A Harvard graduate, Jain is an adjunct professor of medicine at Stanford University.