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Essence Healthcare: from startup to household name

In 2003, a group of St. Louis-area doctors grew frustrated with big insurance companies making it difficult for them to care for patients. They realized that, in order to provide the high-quality care people with Medicare needed and deserved, something had to change.

By working collaboratively and sharing information freely with the doctors and health systems in its network, Essence was able to help ensure that every patient received the right care, in the right setting, at the right cost. By collaborating and partnering with doctors, something remarkable happened: the quality of care members received improved while the cost of care actually decreased.

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Years later, Essence continues to spearhead this model, working side by side with its close-knit team of physicians and hospitals and rewarding them for helping members manage chronic conditions, get well, and most importantly, stay that way.

For Essence members, this means that our plans are designed to keep you healthy and active. That’s why you’ll find comprehensive hospital, medical and prescription drug coverage—as well as valuable extra benefits like dental and fitness—as part of our affordable all-in-one plans. It’s all part of our truly unique approach to health insurance that has always been, and always will be, based on an unwavering commitment to protecting the health and wellness of our friends and neighbors with Medicare in the communities we serve.