Univera Healthcare announced today that James R. Reed has been appointed chief executive officer of the health plan and its parent company, The Lifetime Healthcare Companies.
Reed has been serving as president and CEO-elect since July 2020 and succeeds Christopher C. Booth who retired today after leading the company since 2013.
“Jim is strategic in his approach, has a strong sense of mission and brings a wide array of experience to the job,” said Marianne Gaige, chairwoman of the company’s board of directors. “He has been a leader in this company for 25 years and has been instrumental in shaping the company’s future in today’s ever-changing health insurance industry.”
Reed joined the company in January 1996. Prior to serving as president and CEO-elect, his roles included executive vice-president of marketing and sales, and Central New York regional president. As President and CEO, he assumes responsibility for the entire operation, including fulfilling the organization’s mission and fostering its corporate culture.
“Our focus remains on providing access to high-quality health care to as many people as possible at a price they can afford,” Reed said. “As a locally-based health plan, we are partners with those who provide care and those who pay for it and we want to build on that going forward.”
The Lifetime Healthcare family of companies includes its nonprofit health plan, with 1.5 million members in 39 New York counties and about 3,900 employees. The health plan does business as Univera Healthcare in the eight counties of Western New York. Related entities include the national long-term care insurance company, MedAmerica Inc., and the employee benefit firm, Lifetime Benefit Solutions, Inc.
Over the course of his career, Reed has been involved in the community through various non-profit organizations. He serves on multiple committees and boards in the regions.
Reed earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and his master’s degree in business administration from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York.
Reed, age 50, and his wife reside in Skaneateles, New York and have three children.
Contact:
Peter Kates, (716) 857-4485
Univera Healthcare is a nonprofit health plan that serves members across the eight counties of Western New York. With more than 500 Buffalo-based employees and a local leadership team, the company is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce to foster innovation and better serve its members. It also encourages employees to engage in their communities by providing paid volunteer time off as one of many benefits. Univera is part of a Rochester-based health insurer that serves more than 1.5 million members across upstate New York. Its mission is to help people live healthier and more secure lives through access to high-quality, affordable health care, and its products and services include cost-saving prescription drug discounts, wellness tracking tools and access to telemedicine. To learn more, visit UniveraHealthcare.com.
