Aetna and Banner Health appoint CEO of joint venture

Insurer Aetna and Arizona-based Banner Health have appointed Thomas Grote as the chief executive officer (CEO) of its jointly-owned health plan company.

Grote will report directly to the Banner|Aetna joint venture board of directors.

Most recently, he served as president for Aetna’s Arizona and New Mexico markets, while providing oversight of the West Territory. In that role, he played a critical part in building Aetna’s relationship with Banner and helping to construct the joint venture.

A 30-year veteran leader at Aetna, Grote joined the company in 1987 as an employee benefits representative and held a variety of sales and management roles, including president of Aetna’s Capitol Market, which includes Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC. In 2012, he spearheaded the team that created Aetna’s first joint venture partnership, with Innovation Health, a leading health system in Northern Virginia.

“We are pleased to have someone as experienced and committed as Tom taking the helm of this new organization,” said Chuck Lehn, president of Banner Health Network. “He has a passion for creating a better health care experience for our members, and clear vision of what will make us successful.”

Banner|Aetna has recently obtained the necessary insurance licenses from the Arizona regulators for the joint venture that was announced in October last year.

Dan Finke, senior vice president of network and clinical services for Aetna, commented: “I congratulate Tom for being named CEO of the Banner|Aetna joint venture. I am confident that Tom’s experience, leadership and vision will help make this new health plan thrive for years to come."

The new health plan in Arizona combines Banner’s care-management capabilities with Aetna’s health insurance expertise and analytical insight to improve quality, affordability and the patient experience. It aims to makes health care more simple and health records more accessible.