Catholic Charities

Seeing results after making the switch.

  • 332 covered employees
  • Based in Houston, Texas
  • Member of Catholic Charities USA
the challenge

Finding the right fit.

For nearly 80 years, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (CCGH) has provided food, clothing, shelter and a network of support services to people of all ages and from all walks of life and religious backgrounds in the Greater Houston region.

The organization’s journey to a sustainable health plan has been “long and arduous,” in the words of Chief Operating Officer Bart Ferrell. Initially, it was in a trust comprised of other Catholic organizations nationwide in which it experienced annual cost increases. The organization made the difficult decision to change plans and moved to a self-funded healthcare model in order to reduce costs. But like so many other groups with large carriers, year two brought a double-digit increase. The organization tried a variety of health plan solutions over the course of eight years.

“Different carriers, HDHPs, HSAs, PPO with Exclusive Provider Organizations [EPO] plans … we didn’t quite get the results we wanted to see with the self-funded model.”Bart Ferrell, COO, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

the solution

Using cost as the starting point.

Ferrell was intrigued with Imagine360 and its built-in, reference-based pricing approach. “The math behind it, the business behind it — it made a lot of sense. The only way we were going to be able to control our healthcare costs was to be able to attack it at the cost.”

Having a known basis for what a procedure costs, using Medicare as a reference, made the difference. CCGH also prioritized finding the best quality, along with the best deal for their employees — and Imagine360’s total health plan solution delivered.

“With Imagine360, we were able to create a plan that really enhanced our benefits. It wasn’t just a move from a large carrier to something comparable. It was a move to something better.”

RESULTS

“Incredible. It’s everything we were sold and more.”

  • No premium increase for two years

  • 38% savings compared to a PPO

  • 5-star support for members

  • Helpful resources: member education, monthly webinars, unlimited materials

the experience

Caring for members on their healthcare journey.

CCGH has avoided raising premiums for their employees for two years straight. “That’s a win,” says Ferrell. “It’s not all about saving a dollar. It’s about quality, ease of access and taking care of our folks, who work in case management all day fighting a system. When they get to their healthcare, we don’t want to make it hard for our employees.”

Knowing how important health benefits are to employees and their families, CCGH was concerned about making the change. But they later learned those concerns were unwarranted. “Imagine360 has been there every single step of the way,” says Ferrell.

This includes support for the management team, too. “Initially, we thought we would need another benefits manager to do this. But by leaning in and partnering with their outstanding administration team, we haven’t needed to do that,” says Ferrell. “And that’s what I tell other organizations — do it and lean into it. Lean into all the excellent resources Imagine360 has for you.”

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“When it’s advertised that their Net Promoter Score is better than Amazon, you kind of think ‘okay, not really.’ But it’s true 100%. It is not false advertising.”

the bottom line

Unwavering commitment to customer service.

Based on prior experience of being put on the back burner once you’re no longer a “new client,” Ferrell is surprised at the ongoing level of service CCGH has enjoyed.

“Even in year two, the collaboration in terms of rollout and member service is still at the same level. We have direct contact with anyone we need. We get questions answered. Members get the help they need finding a provider. And, nine times out of 10, it’s resolved the same day. It shouldn’t be a surprise, but it is.”

When Ferrell and his wife welcomed their baby, they experienced Imagine360’s helpful care navigation and clinical management support firsthand. They even got help with understanding the different EOBs from the delivery. “The customer relationship management [CRM] tools you guys have are incredible. Three months later, I spoke to the same person — Ruby, I know her by name!”

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