Kirt Caton, M.D., named Chief Medical Officer by Select Health of South Carolina

Select Health of South Carolina, the state’s oldest and largest Medicaid managed care organization and part of the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies, announced that Kirt Caton, M.D., has been named market chief medical officer (CMO).  In this position, Dr. Caton will be responsible for market-based clinical leadership and execution of all health care affordability and clinical quality initiatives designed to achieve Select Health’s business goals. He will report to Select Health Market President Courtnay Thompson.

Dr. Caton joined Select Health in March 2013 as medical director for Utilization Management (UM). During his tenure with Select Health, he has provided leadership for key initiatives including UM physician and staff training, standardization and enhancement of the review process, and implementation of interdisciplinary team rounds to help reduce preventable hospital readmissions.

Prior to coming to Select Health, Dr. Caton spent the entirety of his career practicing medicine in South Carolina. He worked as a private practice physician with Palmetto Primary Care Physicians where he also was an active member of Select Health’s Quality Assurance Performance Improvement Committee. In addition, Dr. Caton served as an adjunct professor of family medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina.

“We are pleased to have Dr. Caton as the face of our medical programs and services,” said Thompson. “Dr. Caton’s prior experience at Select Health and firsthand knowledge of the company will certainly serve him well in his new position.”

“It is exciting for me to take on this new challenge at Select Health,” said Dr. Caton. “I‘ve enjoyed my time here and look forward to new ways that I can contribute to our mission of helping people get care, stay well and build healthy communities, especially those in need.”

Dr. Caton holds a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry at Charleston Southern University, earned his medical degree at the Medical University of South Carolina, and completed his internship and residency in family medicine with Trident Family Medicine. He is board-certified in family medicine.

About Select Health

Select Health of South Carolina, part of the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies, contracts with the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) to offer First Choice, the state’s oldest and largest Medicaid managed care health plan, in all 46 counties statewide. Select Health’s First Choice health plan is the top-rated Medicaid health plan in South Carolina, according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) Medicaid Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2015 – 2016, 2016 – 2017, and 2017 – 2018. First Choice was the top-ranked Medicaid health plan in South Carolina per NCQA from 2010 to 2014. First Choice is the first health plan in South Carolina to earn NCQA’s Multicultural Health Care Distinction, an honor it has achieved four times since 2011. For more information about First Choice by Select Health, visit www.selecthealthofsc.com.

Select Health also offers the First Choice VIP Care Plus Medicare-Medicaid plan in 39 South Carolina counties. For more information about First Choice VIP Care Plus, visitwww.firstchoicevipcareplus.com.

About AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies

AmeriHealth Caritas is part of the Independence Health Group in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. AmeriHealth Caritas is one of the nation’s leaders in health care solutions for those most in need. Operating in 16 states and the District of Columbia, AmeriHealth Caritas serves approximately 5.6 million Medicaid, Medicare and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) members through its integrated managed care products, pharmaceutical benefit management and specialty pharmacy services, behavioral health services, and other administrative services. Headquartered in Philadelphia, AmeriHealth Caritas is a mission-driven organization with more than 35 years of experience serving low-income and chronically ill populations. For more information, visit www.amerihealthcaritas.com.