Sentara Healthcare Acquires AvMed, Inc.

Sentara Healthcare, one of the largest not-for-profit integrated health care delivery systems in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region, has finalized the transaction with SantaFe HealthCare, Inc., for ownership of AvMed, Inc., a not-for-profit health plan in Florida.

“Sentara has extensive experience operating successful health plans that facilitate access to high-quality, coordinated care for members, and we are excited to be bringing Sentara’s mission—we improve health every day—to an even larger community,” said Dennis Matheis, president and chief executive officer of Sentara Healthcare.

“Sentara and AvMed are like-minded, mission-driven, not-for-profit organizations with long histories of serving our communities and delivering excellence in service, quality and member satisfaction,” said Colin Drozdowski, president of Sentara Health Plans and executive vice president of Sentara Healthcare.

The affiliation enables Sentara to leverage its deep experience serving communities in Virginia to now serve similar communities in Florida. It creates greater economies of scale allowing Sentara to better coordinate care, enhance overall experience, improve affordability, and continue capability investments to better serve patients, members, and communities.

AvMed, headquartered in Miami, provides commercial group, individual, and Medicare Advantage coverage to more than 200,000 members. AvMed’s operations will continue as usual with minimal impact to health plan members, providers, and employees. Sentara’s strengths, combined with AvMed’s local expertise and network of physicians, will create new opportunities to leverage best practices and build new products and services that improve members’ health outcomes.

“Our partnership with Sentara best positions AvMed to continue helping Floridians live healthier, the basis of our mission for the past 50 years,” said Jim Repp, president and chief operating officer of AvMed. “To create thriving communities, address health disparities, and improve wellness, offering accessible, quality care is vital, and this new affiliation will deliver that for our members and local communities.”

Sentara Healthcare has served Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina for more than 130 years as a not-for-profit integrated health care delivery system. It operates Sentara Health Plans, the health insurance division of Sentara Healthcare, offering health plans through its subsidiaries, Optima Health and Virginia Premier, that provide commercial, Medicare and Medicaid products, as well as an extensive care delivery network with twelve hospitals and ambulatory services. With the completion of the transaction, Sentara’s health plan operations expand coverage to nearly 1.2 million members, building on a vision to deliver the highest possible quality and affordability across our communities – bringing more care, services, and relationships to more people.

About Sentara Healthcare

Sentara Healthcare celebrates more than 130 years in pursuit of its mission – “we improve health every day.” Sentara is a not-for-profit integrated health care delivery system with approximately 30,000 employees (including 1,375 physicians and advanced practice providers), 12 hospitals in Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina and the Sentara Health Plans division which serves over 1.2 million members. Sentara is recognized nationally for clinical quality and safety, and is strategically focused on innovation and creating an extraordinary health care experience for our patients and members. Sentara was named to IBM Watson Health’s “Top 15 Health Systems” in 2021 and 2018, and was recognized by Forbes as a “Best Employer for New Grads” and “Best Employer for Veterans” in 2022, “Best Employer for Women” in 2020, and one of “America’s Best Employers” in 2018.

About AvMed, Inc.

AvMed is a Florida-based health plan headquartered in Miami. More than 200,000 members count on AvMed for commercial group, individual and Medicare Advantage coverage. Members have the support of nearly 500 employees and a network of more than 35,000 providers.