Manchester, NH (April 25, 2017) - Harvard Pilgrim Health Care has made a $10,000 contribution to Elliot Health System’s new Diabetes Prevention Initiative. Elliot is a partner with Harvard Pilgrim in the population health improvement company Benevera Health.  

The new pilot project addresses the growing prevalence of pre-diabetes, with more than 50% of Americans 65 and older being pre-diabetic.  Research by the Centers for Disease Control has found that intensive lifestyle change can reduce risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes by 58%.  The Elliot program will provide diabetes prevention education to 20-30 individuals at high risk for the disease.  Three monthly classes will be offered, featuring nutrition therapy and exercise and participants will receive pre- and post- A1C testing to measure glucose control, and a weekly weigh-in. If the pilot is successful, funding will be sought to expand the program to reach other pre-diabetic patients of Elliot Physician Network.  

“We are very pleased to support this important community initiative of Elliot Health System,” said William C. Brewster, MD, vice president for Harvard Pilgrim’s New Hampshire office.  “Diabetes is a chronic illness affecting too many New Hampshire residents.  As a Benevera Health partner, we strongly support care management strategies that keep patients healthy, such as this important nutrition education, exercise and monitoring pilot that Elliot will offer pre-diabetic patients.” 

“Our pre-diabetic community members will benefit a great deal from Elliot’s new Diabetes Prevention Initiative, generously funded by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care,” said Vipra Raj, MS, RD, LD, CDE, manager, Elliot Health System Endocriniology, Diabetes Management & Advanced Nutrition Therapy Centers.  “By acquiring this knowledge and understanding, individuals across our region will gain the power of preventing diabetes in the long run.” 

About Benevera Health
Benevera Health is a joint venture between Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Elliot Health System, Frisbie Memorial Hospital, St. Joseph Hospital and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.  It is a population health improvement company dedicated to improving the quality and value of health care in New Hampshire.  Benevera Health brings together clinical, financial and operational data from across partner hospitals for improved health care coordination and elimination of waste and duplication. 

About Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Harvard Pilgrim is a not-for-profit health services company that, along with its subsidiaries, is improving the well-being of its 2.7 million customers.  Harvard Pilgrim’s flagship health plans in New England provide health coverage to 1.3 million members, while another 1.4 million individuals are served through Health Plans, Inc., a subsidiary that provides integrated care management, health coaching and plan administration solutions to self-funded employers nationwide.  Founded in 1969, Harvard Pilgrim has built its reputation on innovation and collaboration with a goal of lowering health care costs, improving care and enhancing the overall member experience. It is known for its excellent clinical programs, customer service, health improvement strategies and innovative tools that offer consumers greater transparency and empower them to make better decisions about their health care. Harvard Pilgrim is home to the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, a unique collaboration with Harvard Medical School. As Harvard Medical School’s Department of Population Medicine, the Institute is the only appointing department of a U.S. medical school housed within a health plan.   Funded primarily through external government and private sources, it provides critical information to all levels of our health care system on issues affecting population health and health care delivery. Harvard Pilgrim is consistently among America’s highest-rated health plans according to an annual ranking of the nation’s best health plans by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)*.

*Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (private HMO/POS and PPO plans) and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care of New England (private HMO/POS plans) have been rated 4.5 out of 5 in NCQA’s Private Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2016-17. NCQA’s Private Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2015-16. NCQA’s Private Health Insurance Plan Rankings, 2011-15, HMO/POS/PPO.

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Mary Wallan
(617) 509-2419
mary_wallan@hphc.org