Contact:   Denise Gallagher
Senior Whole Health
(617)494-5353
dgallagher@seniorwholehealth.com

 

John Baackes Named CEO of Senior Whole Health, Inc.

Company Pioneering New Approach to Managing Health Care for Seniors

CAMBRIDGE, MA (August 15) - - After a national search, Senior Whole Health (SWH), based in Cambridge, MA, is pleased to announce that John Baackes has been named CEO and took over management of the company in May.  Senior Whole Health (SWH), founded in 2003, was formed to satisfy the emerging demands by consumers, public payers and private health insurers for new approaches to the coordination and payment of health care services for the elderly.  Mr. Baackes’ focus will be to continue to establish Senior Whole Health as the premier senior care organization in Massachusetts and to expand the company’s senior care model nationally.

John Baackes joins SWH after serving as Senior Vice President of Group Health Incorporated of New York. There he led their for-profit HMO subsidiary and grew it to $130mm in revenue.  Previous to that, he was President of Kaiser Permanente Northeast Division. He was also President of Community Health Plan in Latham, NY which grew to a three state operation under his direction. Sine 1997 John has served on the Medicaid Managed Care Advisory Review Panel, is a frequent lecturer and a former faculty member of the National HMO Management Fellowship Program based in Washington, D.C.

“I look forward to this opportunity.  Massachusetts is becoming a national leader in providing for its citizens,” said Baackes. “Senior Whole Health’s mission is clear. We must protect our seniors by making it easier for them to get the quality healthcare they need. Our Senior Care Organization (SCO) model will expand existing Medicaid managed care services in an effort to contain seriously rising costs. We want SWH to become a national model to improve the overall access and quality of elderly care in both the public and private sectors."   

“We are thrilled to have someone of John’s experience take the leadership reins here,” said James Outland, Senior Whole Health’s Chairman of the Board. “In addition to his operational and marketing successes in the public and private sectors, John is deeply committed to community causes including the Center for Disabled, Heritage Artists and PBS.  Senior Whole Health is uniquely positioned to improve the quality of life for the frail elderly and in Massachusetts and other states around the country and John is the perfect leader to fulfill that mission.” 

About Senior Whole Health “Coordinated Care for Seniors”

The mission at Senior Whole Health is to maximize the quality of life, health, and independence of our members.  Senior Whole Health (SWH) is an innovative health care plan for people who are 65 years old or older who qualify for MassHealth and who live in the Senior Whole Health service area. People who are 65 years old or older who have both MassHealth and Medicare can also join Senior Whole Health.  For more information, log onto www.seniorwholehealth.com.