{{Short description|Behavioral health company based in Boston, Massachusetts}}
{{Infobox company | name = Carelon Behavioral Health | type = Subsidiary | industry = Behavioral Health Services | hq_location = Boston, Massachusetts | area_served = United States | key_people = Glenn MacFarlane <small>(CEO)</small> | parent = Elevance Health }}
'''Carelon Behavioral Health''', formerly known as '''Beacon Health Options''', is a behavioral health company based in Boston, Massachusetts.
On Jun. 6, 2019, Anthem, Inc. (now Elevance Health) announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Beacon Health Options.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Anthem, Inc. to Acquire Beacon Health Options|url=https://ir.antheminc.com/news-releases/news-release-details/anthem-inc-acquire-beacon-health-options?field_nir_news_date_value[min]=2019|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-16|website=www.antheminc.com|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825064046/https://ir.antheminc.com/news-releases/news-release-details/anthem-inc-acquire-beacon-health-options?field_nir_news_date_value[min]=2019 |archive-date=2019-08-25 }}</ref> The acquisition was completed on Mar. 2, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Anthem, Inc. Completes Acquisition of Beacon Health Options|url=https://www.beaconhealthoptions.com/anthem-inc-completes-acquisition-of-beacon-health-options/|access-date=2021-09-16|website=www.beaconhealthoptions.com|language=en-US}}</ref> Prior to the acquisition, Beacon Health was the largest privately held company of its kind in the United States. The company is the product of a 2014 merger between Beacon Health Strategies, LLC and ValueOptions, Inc.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lascara|first=Virginia|title=ValueOptions to merge with Boston firm|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/inside-business/article_0e76bdc0-6a02-580b-97b6-689bfebceb58.html|access-date=2021-09-16|website=pilotonline.com/inside-business|date=12 December 2014 }}</ref> The company rebranded as Carelon Behavioral Health in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lovett |first=Laura |date=2023-03-02 |title=Elevance Health's Beacon Health Options Rebrands to Carelon Behavioral Health, to Consolidate Payer's Portfolio of Services |url=https://bhbusiness.com/2023/03/02/elevances-beacon-health-options-rebrands-to-carelon-behavioral-health-to-consolidate-payers-portfolio-of-services/ |access-date=2023-10-14 |website=Behavioral Health Business |language=en-US}}</ref>
The company currently employs 4,700 people nationwide, serving over 40 million people.
As of 2025, Carelon Behavioral Health is the subject of two lawsuits in New York and Connecticut alleging that it operates ghost networks.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Clason |first=Lauren |date=July 15, 2025 |title=Anthem Hit With Third Class Action on Alleged ‘Ghost Networks’ |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/anthem-hit-with-third-class-action-on-alleged-ghost-networks |access-date=2025-11-11 |work=Bloomberg Law}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hollowell |first=Ashleigh |date=July 15, 2025 |title=Carelon, Elevance and Anthem Hit With Another Ghost Network Lawsuit |url=https://bhbusiness.com/2025/07/15/carelon-elevance-and-anthem-hit-with-another-ghost-network-lawsuit/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250918195307/https://bhbusiness.com/2025/07/15/carelon-elevance-and-anthem-hit-with-another-ghost-network-lawsuit/ |archive-date=2025-09-18 |access-date=2025-11-11 |website=Behavioral Health Business |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Description== In recent years, Carelon company provided behavioral healthcare management to 41 ''Fortune'' 500 companies, national and regional health plans, and federal, state, and local governments. It also serves over 45 million people in the United States. As of 2017, most Carelon locations were accredited by URAC (formerly the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission). Many Beacon locations also hold National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) accreditation. Carelon is led by president Glenn MacFarlane.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Carelon Leadership Team {{!}} Carelon |url=https://www.carelon.com/about-us/leadership |access-date=2023-10-14 |website=Carelon.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== <references />
==External links== * [http://www.beaconhealthoptions.com/ Company website]
Category:Companies based in Boston Category:Medical and health organizations based in Massachusetts Category:Insurance companies of the United States