Harvard Pilgrim Names Michael Carson Chief Business Growth Officer

WELLESLEY — Michael Carson, a seasoned healthcare executive with broad leadership experience at some of the nation’s pre-eminent health plans, has been named chief business growth officer at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. In this position, he will be responsible for financial and business performance, provider contracting, network management, health services, product development, sales, marketing, regional markets, and Medicare.

Most recently, Carson served as chief operating officer at ConcertoHealth, a multi-state medical group, where he was responsible for the company’s financial performance, including care delivery, clinical operations, growth and health-plan delegated utilization, care, quality, and revenue management.

Prior to Concerto, Carson served as president of Anthem’s Eastern Region Medicare business. He previously served as Amerigroup’s vice president of Medicare; held a wide variety of Medicaid corporate and health-plan leadership positions; and has served as vice president of Operations at Premera Blue Cross in Washington and executive director of Operations Development at Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Colorado.

“Michael’s background in health-plan and value-based medical-group management deepens Harvard Pilgrim’s focus on provider collaboration to achieve positive service, cost, and quality outcomes for our customers and network partners,” said Harvard Pilgrim President and CEO Eric Schultz.

Carson is an Air Force veteran. He has studied at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and the University of Maryland, and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix.