A new managed health care company, Coordinated Care, is putting down roots in downtown’s Tacoma Financial Center high-rise for its headquarters.
The company, a subsidiary of St. Louis-based Centene Corp., is one of five managed care companies serving the state’s nearly 1 million Medicaid recipients.The new company’s headquarters and its 100-plus staff will be on the third and fourth floor of the Tacoma Financial Center at South 13th Street and Broadway downtown.
The 17-story, glass-and-granite-clad building was constructed in 1983 and is the headquarters site for Tacoma’s Franciscan Health System, parent company of a network of hospitals and clinics in the South Sound.
Coordinated Care began providing managed care services for Medicaid recipients in July last year. The company’s headquarters staff was temporarily on other floors at the Financial Center until a lease could be negotiated for permanent quarters on the third and fourth floors and the space could be renovated. Coordinated Care was one of three managed care coordinators added to the state’s list of approved managers in July. Last spring, the state asked Medicaid recipients to choose among the five care management companies to handle their health care management.
Managed care coordinators sign up a network of preferred health care providers to service clients.
Coordinated Care has enlisted about 75 hospitals, about 3,000 primary care physicians and about 8,000 specialists and other health care providers to be part of its network. Coordinated Care plans a grand opening at its headquarters on January 31.
“I am very pleased to welcome Coordinated Care to Tacoma. Their innovative approach and commitment to community support and participation makes them exactly the type of employer we want to attract to our city,” said Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland in a statement. “Their decision to choose Tacoma over other cities is a strong indication that Tacoma is not only open for business, but more importantly, a great place to do business.”
“We are very excited to be based in downtown Tacoma,” said Dr. Jay Fathi, president and CEO of Coordinated Care. “The combination of Tacoma’s skilled work force, affordability, and its wide range of amenities is a huge plus for our company and our employees.”
John Gillie: 253-597-8663 john.gillie@thenewstribune.com
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.