Banner|Aetna Executives Featured as Becker’s Healthcare Thought Leaders

Banner|Aetna’s award-winning executives, Tom Grote, Joanne Mizell, and Robert Groves, MD, have earned their places as health care thought leaders and industry changemakers for their pioneering work at the cutting edge of value-based care. Since Banner|Aetna launched as a joint venture health plan between Banner Health and Aetna in 2017, the company has grown to become a leading health insurer in Arizona and a shining example of what’s possible when payers and providers collaborate.

Joint venture models like Banner|Aetna are the most evolved type of health plan on the value-based care continuum, and due to their complexity, less than a dozen are in operation nationally. The joint venture model evenly splits accountability for profits and losses between payer and provider organizations. This financial alignment transforms the traditionally adversarial relationship between those who provide care and those who pay for it into a collaborative, transparent effort centered around the patient and member experience.

Thanks to this experience at the forefront of payer innovation, Banner|Aetna executives are regularly invited to share insight with top industry publications as health care thought leaders. Here are some key takeaways from the organization’s contributions to Becker’s Healthcare.

Tom Grote, Chief Executive Officer

Banner|Aetna CEO Tom Grote is a visionary leader with 40 years of health care experience and a knack for innovation. Recently, he took the stage in Chicago for Becker’s Healthcare 14^th Annual Meeting and the Spring Payer Issues Roundtable and shared his perspective on trending topics like value-based care with thousands of health care executives.

He has been featured on the Becker’s Healthcare Podcast, sharing his valuable perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing health plans and how technology can be used to create a better member experience. He’s also contributed to several articles for Becker’s Payer Issues, highlighting Banner|Aetna’s efforts to improve onboarding efforts using high-touch outreach and other important topics.

Tom will participate in the upcoming keynote panel on the future of payer-industry collaboration at the fall 2024 Becker’s Spring Payer Issues Roundtable.

Dr. Robert Groves, Chief Medical Officer & Executive Vice President

Robert Groves, MD, is a highly sought-after health care thought leader and physician with 40 years of experience in private practice, health systems, and payer roles. As an esteemed guest speaker at the Becker’s Spring Payer Issues Roundtable, Dr. Groves shared insight on value-based chronic care management and how AI will impact future payer strategies.

He’s also contributed to the Becker’s Healthcare Podcast, where he discussed Banner|Aetna’s high-touch care management approach centered around community-based programs. His inclusion in Becker’s Healthcare’s ongoing speaker series helps illuminate important health care topics, including payer trends and population health strategies.

Dr. Groves will participate in the Shaping the Future: Evolving Prior Authorization in 2024 and Beyond panel at the 2024 Becker’s Fall Payer Issues Roundtable.

Joanne Mizell, Chief Operating Officer

Health care executive Joanne Mizell has been a force for change in the industry for over 30 years. Her operational expertise is instrumental in developing innovative solutions at Banner|Aetna, like an industry-leading frictionless billing initiative, which was covered by Becker’s Payer Issues. Her insight is regularly featured in Becker’s Healthcare, where she offers her perspective on topics like workforce evolution and member onboarding to a variety of articles and interviews.

Joanne has also appeared on the Becker’s Healthcare Podcast, sharing what she sees as the best opportunities for growth at Banner|Aetna and other topics.

Banner|Aetna executives Tom Grote, Joanne Mizell, and Dr. Robert Groves are seasoned health care thought leaders with valuable industry insight. Whether sharing their expertise on stage, as contributing authors, or as podcast guests, they continue to shape conversations on the future of health care and the transformative potential of joint venture models. For members of the media interested in speaking with Banner|Aetna or its leaders, please reach out here.