2025 Pinnacle Awards Recognize AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio and Molina Healthcare of Ohio for Making a Difference Through Innovation
AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio honored for engaging members with mobile gaming platform; Molina Healthcare of Ohio honored for providing app-based peer support to members with traumatic injuries
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Association of Health Plans (OAHP) yesterday recognized Molina Healthcare of Ohio and AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio with its 2025 Pinnacle Awards for their innovative approaches to improving engagement with and health outcomes for their members.
The awards were presented at OAHP’s annual convention and trade show, which was held Tuesday and Wednesday in Columbus.
The annual Pinnacle Awards invite OAHP member plans, 16 companies that provide health care coverage to more than 9 million Ohioans, to submit groundbreaking initiatives for consideration. Entries are judged and winners are chosen by a panel of health industry professionals.
“Ohio’s health plans are leading the way in finding creative solutions to solving persistent challenges in health care,” said Kelly O’Reilly, president and CEO of OAHP. “The Pinnacle Awards celebrate programs that engage people in new and meaningful ways with the ultimate goal of improving health outcomes.”
AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio: Mobile gaming platform engages members
AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio won the award for its first-of-its-kind benefit that uses mobile gaming to address long-standing gaps in Medicaid member care and engagement. Medicaid managed care plans often struggle to reach and engage members because of outdated contact information, low interaction with traditional communications channels and solutions that often fail to sustain member interest, all of which make it difficult to deliver information and build meaningful connections. Understanding these obstacles, AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio identified a way to reach members in a way they enjoy — mobile gaming.
Through this program, members have 24/7 access to a suite of mobile games across different genres that cater to their diverse interests and backgrounds. The platform replaces traditional ads and in-app purchases with trivia, reminders, personalized health content and direct access to plan benefits and information. Trivia question content is directed by AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio’s population health strategy and tailored to improve outcomes, seamlessly driving health care engagement in a fun format that members trust.
Since AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio launched the gaming platform in early 2025, members have logged in more than 12,000 times, spending in excess of 100,000 minutes on the program. In addition, 89% of members provided an email, assisting with future outreach, and 75% completed their full health risk assessments, allowing AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio to provide support that more closely aligns with their needs.
According to Statista, more than 150 million Americans use mobile gaming apps. AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio’s program demonstrates mobile gaming’s potential to close gaps in care and improves member health literacy.
“This initiative shows how we take an innovative approach to member engagement,” said Mark Grippi, AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio CEO and market president. “We’re reaching our members where they are and providing them with an even better experience that makes them take a more active role in their health.”
Molina Healthcare of Ohio: Providing peer support to traumatic injury survivors
Providing access to care for members who have experienced a traumatic injury is critical but challenging, as cognitive and/or physical changes can inhibit engagement in treatment options. To address these barriers, Molina Healthcare of Ohio partnered with TandemStride to provide timely peer support that addresses the physical and emotional well-being of these members.
TandemStride connects survivors of traumatic injury (and their loved ones) with a certified trauma peer using a mobile app. These peers are passionate about assisting members while empowering and supporting them as they navigate these new challenges in life.
This virtual-first approach gives Molina members fast access to support during and after hospitalization, improving quality outcomes and reducing incidents of readmission, thereby saving future medical costs. An analysis of the program’s first nine months highlights the need with more than 3,000 unique members engaged. During that period, 36% of eligible members requesting support were seen by a therapist in 48 hours or less, and the program saw a 17% reduction in readmissions within six months of injury.
“Ensuring our members receive the services they need is our highest priority at Molina Healthcare of Ohio, and this partnership with TandemStride helps remove obstacles to high quality care,” said Ami Cole, plan president at Molina Healthcare of Ohio. “The TandemStride platform provides survivors with tools, insights and encouragement to help navigate the many aspects of recovery. Not only has this improved member outcomes, but it also has helped our care coordination teams identify other nonmedical concerns impacting health and well-being.”
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About OAHP
The Ohio Association of Health Plans is a statewide association dedicated to working with legislators, providers, nonprofits and other partners to improve the health of Ohioans through access to quality, affordable care.
