Published on August 24, 2022

Aspire Health Announces Incoming CEO, Tyler W. Munson, MBA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts

Monica Sciuto, Montage Health, monica.sciuto@montagehealth.org, (831) 622-2756

Karina Rusk, Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, krusk@svmh.com, (831) 759-1843

MONTEREY, Calif.  — Aspire Health, a community-centered, not-for-profit organization supported by Montage Health and Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System (SVMHS), has announced the arrival of Tyler W. Munson, MBA as the incoming Chief Executive Officer.

Tyler W. Munson, who starts on September 6, last served as President of Care N’Care  Insurance Company in Fort Worth, Texas, a provider-owned Medicare Advantage plan with more than 13,000 members and over $150 million in annual revenue. Munson earned a Bachelor of Science degree and MBA from Elon University. Munson is a progressive healthcare executive with deep experience in managed care, health plan leadership, global risk management, Medicare Advantage operations and healthcare economics. Munson succeeds Laura Zehm, who has led the development of Aspire Health and been its CEO since the inception of the organization. 

Tyler Munson, CEO

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Tyler W. Munson to serve as Aspire Health’s next Chief Executive Officer,” said Dr. Steven Packer, President/CEO, Montage Health, Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula’s parent company. Munson was selected after a broad national search.  “Munson is a focused and dedicated leader with a proven track record of driving change and achieving results. We are thrilled to welcome Tyler to the Aspire team,” adds Dr. Packer.

“Thousands of people in Monterey County are benefiting from the exceptional medical care offered through our Aspire Medicare Advantage plans,” says Pete Delgado, President/CEO of Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System. “Tyler brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the market that will only strengthen the value, products and services we provide our community. We’re excited to welcome him to the Aspire family.”

Aspire Health Plan, the Medicare Advantage arm of Aspire Health, offers Monterey County's only individual Medicare Advantage health plans. The provider network consists of more than 700 healthcare providers, and includes all four Monterey County hospitals. Aspire Health Plan offers three plans, all including Part D prescription drug coverage, and 2022 benefits highlights include co-pays as low as $0; an over-the-counter allowance; preventive dental; a fitness benefit with access to local gyms, including the Montage Wellness Centers; optional dental and vision plans with enhanced benefits; and transportation to in-network appointments.

Aspire Health Plan has earned a four-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for its 2022 Medicare Advantage plan.

Aspire Health Plan’s customer service team earned five stars for member satisfaction based on measures from the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) survey. This rating helped contribute to the plan’s strong overall rating.  

Aspire Health’s population health division was created to improve the health and well-being in Monterey County. It offers programs and services that help people live their best lives. It collaborates with doctors and hospitals, health plans, patients, and community partners to promote wellness, improve care, and help lower healthcare costs for everyone. They also help communities in our county address major health issues, such as the diabetes epidemic, where its Diabetes Collaborative effort earned national recognition from the American Hospital Association with this year’s NOVA Award.

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ABOUT ASPIRE HEALTH PLAN

Aspire Health Plan is a local, nonprofit, Medicare Advantage health plan. It is a partnership between Montage Health and Salinas Valley Healthcare System. Started in 2014, Aspire was created to provide better healthcare options for those eligible for Medicare. Aspire serves thousands of members in Monterey County, focusing on improving health and inspiring every individual to live their best life. For more information visit www.aspirehealth.org

ABOUT MONTAGE HEALTH

Montage Health is the nonprofit parent company of a family of organizations dedicated to improving lives by delivering exceptional care and inspiring the pursuit of optimal health. Through its subsidiaries and its partnerships with doctors and other clinicians, healthcare and community organizations, and, most importantly community members, Montage Health is dedicated to care that is coordinated across all care settings to meet each person’s goals and needs. Montage Health’s family of companies includes Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Montage Medical Group, MoGo Urgent Care, Aspire Health, Montage Health Foundation, and Montage Wellness Center. For more information visit www.montagehealth.org.

ABOUT SALINAS VALLEY MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System (SVMHS) is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the region through an integrated network of health care initiatives, services and facilities. In addition to an acute care, public district hospital licensed for 263 beds, the system includes Salinas Valley Medical Clinic, a multi-location clinic expanding access to primary and specialty care, and offers 13 urgent care locations. SVMHS is one of the area’s largest employers with a staff of more than 2000, and is a leader in providing nationally recognized quality care. Collaboration is an important operating principle for SVMHS in such key areas as our Level III NICU which is operated in a joint venture with Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford; The Madison Clinic for Pediatric Diabetes, partnership with UCSF; Aspire Health Plan, Monterey County’s only Medicare Advantage program; Community Health Innovations and Blue Zones Project Monterey County, building a community where people live longer and live healthier. For more information, visit www.svmh.com.