Monday, August 7, 2017

UnitedHealthcare Pulls the Plug on Harken Health

Following news this past May that UnitedHeathcare was abandoning their experimental Harken Health independent subsidiary, all locations have closed.  The concept, which combined health insurance and care under one roof, was launched in late 2015 in the Chicago and Atlanta markets exclusively.  Plans were to test the concept in the two pilot cities and then expand it with Florida said to have been their next intended market.
In mid-May, Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare announced it was closing Harken Heath "during the summer," but said it would continue to cover individual members and ensure they have access to care through the end of the year.  Harken offered its members unlimited free doctor visits at its health centers, which also offer wellness programs such as acupuncture, yoga and meditation. 

Last year, Harken lost nearly $64 million, and received infusions of $120 million from parent company UnitedHealthcare, according to a regulatory filing.

UnitedHealthcare is an operating division of UnitedHealth Group, the largest single health carrier in the United States.
Promotional Harken Health water bottles are already flooding into local Goodwill stores
Harken operated five clinics in Chicago and had six open in metro Atlanta with a seventh under construction.  On April 12th, ToNeTo Atlanta exclusively reported the planned Harken Health at Midtown Promenade near Trader Joe's and Tuesday Morning.  Just a few short weeks later, the company announced it was ending operations.  The approximately 5,500 square foot space to the right of Tuesday Morning had most recently been home to Gatsby's Social Club & Dessert Lounge.  

Harken occupied a number of former restaurant spaces around town.  Most notably, the clinic opened in place of the shuttered Ruby Tuesday on West Ponce de Leon Avenue in Decatur and in place of a former Ted's Montana Grill on East-West Connector in Austell. 

In addition to the former former restaurant spaces in Austell and Decatur, Harken occupied a space at TOWN Brookhaven near CinĂ©Bistro that was many times marketed for restaurant use, but was never opened as one.  Harken's Duluth location at Reynolds Crossing on Old Norcross Road was situated in a former Blockbuster Video space.  

Harken's Roswell location was located in "Connexion Holcomb Bridge," a "remerchadised" center on Holcomb Bridge Road adjacent to the PGA TOUR Superstore.  The clinic's East Cobb location was in the Kroger-anchored Pavilions at Eastlake shopping center on Roswell Road. 
The former Harken Health on East-West Connector in Austell
On average, Harken's Atlanta area clinics were about 5,000 square feet.  

Are you surprised Harken Health failed as a business?  Were you a Harken Health customer?  If you live near a former Harken Health, what would you like to see open in its place?

Please share your thoughts below.  

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Too bad. It was ahead of its time. Someone will try again in a few years.

dal787 said...

Kaiser-Permanente has done this successfully for years.

Anonymous said...

Kaiser-Permanente is horrible and is losing market share.

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