Hooper Holmes

Hooper Holmes was an American health information and risk-assessment company serving insurance carriers, wellness organizations, and healthcare businesses. Its roots extended to 1899, when William DeMattos Hooper and Bayard P. Holmes established The National Insurance Information Bureau in New York City. The original business operated in the insurance-information and claims-investigation environment, but the company later developed into a nationwide provider of services used in insurance underwriting and health-risk evaluation. The company arranged paramedical examinations for applicants for life and other insurance products. These examinations could include the collection of health histories, physical measurements, blood and other specimen collection, and related information used by insurers in assessing underwriting risk. Through its Portamedic trade name, Hooper Holmes became one of the largest providers of insurance examination services in the United States. The company operated through an extensive network reported at approximately 275 locations nationwide and also maintained activity in the United Kingdom. Hooper Holmes organized its health-information activities into several operating areas. Portamedic focused on medical examinations for insurance companies. Heritage Labs provided laboratory testing and specimen-related services, although that business was later sold to CRLCorp. The Health & Wellness line supplied health-risk assessments and evaluations, while Hooper Holmes Services conducted telephone interviews with insurance applicants. Together, these activities positioned the company as an intermediary between insurance applicants, medical service providers, laboratories, and insurance underwriters. The company also pursued institutional contracts outside its traditional insurance examination business. It received a contract from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs involving one base year and two option years to support a designated trial aimed at high-risk patients. Hooper Holmes received an Early Adopter Award and a Business Integration Award at an annual conference of the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development, reflecting recognition for adopting and integrating industry technology or operating practices. Hooper Holmes later divested important parts of its historical operating structure. In 2013, it sold the Portamedic service line to American Para Professional Systems, Inc. The company subsequently became known as Provant Health Solutions and was located in Olathe, Kansas. In 2017, it voluntarily discontinued its New York Stock Exchange listing and moved to the OTCQX market. By September 1, 2018, Hooper Holmes, doing business as Provant Health Solutions, had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The available reference material does not establish a later operating continuation under the Hooper Holmes brand, so the historical brand is treated here as defunct or absorbed into its successor-related operations.

Hooper Holmes originated in New York City in 1899 as The National Insurance Information Bureau. It was founded by William DeMattos Hooper and Bayard P. Holmes, who had experience connected with insurance information and claims investigation. The early enterprise was established in an era when insurers relied heavily on external investigators and information providers to evaluate claims and applicants. Over time, the company moved toward health information and medical examination services supporting insurance underwriting. Its operating model centered on arranging paramedical examinations for insurance applicants and delivering information that insurance carriers could use to evaluate policy risk. The business developed a broad geographic footprint, with approximately 275 locations in the United States and operations also reported in the United Kingdom. The company's Health Information Division included several distinct service areas. Portamedic provided medical examinations for insurance companies and became the company's best-known trade name. Heritage Labs tested blood and handled certain specimen-related services used in health and wellness assessment. The Health & Wellness business supplied risk assessments and evaluations, and Hooper Holmes Services conducted telephone interviews with insurance applicants. This portfolio allowed the company to provide multiple stages of the underwriting-information process rather than only a single examination service. Hooper Holmes also sought work in public-sector and broader healthcare settings. It received a United States Department of Veterans Affairs contract consisting of one base year and two option years to support a designated trial for high-risk patients. Industry recognition included an Early Adopter Award and a Business Integration Award at an annual conference of the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development. The company later reduced its exposure to parts of its legacy laboratory and examination structure. Heritage Labs was sold to CRLCorp, and in 2013 Hooper Holmes sold the Portamedic service line to American Para Professional Systems, Inc. These transactions changed the scope of the historical Hooper Holmes platform and reduced the direct ownership of services that had defined its insurance-examination identity. The business subsequently operated as Provant Health Solutions and was reported as headquartered in Olathe, Kansas. In 2017, it voluntarily ended its NYSE listing and moved to OTCQX. By September 1, 2018, Hooper Holmes, doing business as Provant Health Solutions, had filed for Chapter 11. The supplied reference material does not document a subsequent independent continuation of Hooper Holmes as a standalone operating company. Accordingly, the brand is best understood as a historical health-information and underwriting-services company whose later operations were associated with Provant Health Solutions.

• 2018

  Chapter 11 filing

  [1]Hooper Holmesen.wikipedia.org

  Hooper Holmes, doing business as Provant Health Solutions, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection by September 1.

• 2017

  Trading venue changed from NYSE to OTCQX

  [1]Hooper Holmesen.wikipedia.org

  The company voluntarily discontinued its New York Stock Exchange listing and switched to OTCQX.

• 2013

  Portamedic sold

  [1]Hooper Holmesen.wikipedia.org

  Hooper Holmes sold the Portamedic service line to American Para Professional Systems, Inc.

• 1899

  Company founded in New York City

  [1]Hooper Holmesen.wikipedia.org

  William DeMattos Hooper and Bayard P. Holmes founded The National Insurance Information Bureau, the organization that developed into Hooper Holmes.

• Expansion into nationwide insurance examination services

  [1]Hooper Holmesen.wikipedia.org

  The company developed a nationwide network for paramedical examinations and related underwriting information, operating through the Portamedic trade name.

• Recognition from ACORD

  [1]Hooper Holmesen.wikipedia.org

  Hooper Holmes received Early Adopter and Business Integration awards at an annual conference of the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development.

A nationwide business-to-business health information and underwriting-support provider connecting insurers with examination, laboratory, interview, and risk-assessment services.

• Insurance medical examinations

  Portamedic

  Portamedic was Hooper Holmes's principal examination-services trade name. It arranged paramedical examinations for insurance applicants and supplied information used by insurance carriers during underwriting. The network was described as one of the largest providers of examination services in the health-insurance industry. Hooper Holmes sold this service line to American Para Professional Systems in 2013.

• Laboratory testing

  Heritage Labs

  Heritage Labs was the company's laboratory-oriented operation. It tested blood and handled certain specimen-related services supporting health and wellness assessment. The business formed part of Hooper Holmes's broader health-information portfolio before being sold to CRLCorp.

• Health-risk assessment

  Health & Wellness

  The Health & Wellness line provided risk assessments and evaluations for organizations seeking structured health information. Its work complemented examinations, laboratory services, and interviews by helping insurers and other customers assess health-related risk.

• Telephone interviewing

  Hooper Holmes Services

  Hooper Holmes Services conducted telephone interviews with insurance applicants. These interviews formed part of the information-gathering process used by insurance companies when evaluating applications and underwriting risk.

• 2018

  Chapter 11 restructuringOther

  Background

  Hooper Holmes was operating as Provant Health Solutions when it entered bankruptcy proceedings.

  Action taken

  The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection by September 1, 2018.

  Aftermath

  The filing marked the end stage of the company's documented standalone corporate history in the supplied reference material.

  Source

• 2017

  Voluntary withdrawal from the NYSEStrategy

  Background

  Hooper Holmes changed its public-market status while operating under pressure and later being associated with Provant Health Solutions.

  Action taken

  The company voluntarily discontinued its New York Stock Exchange listing and moved to OTCQX.

  Aftermath

  The company continued outside the NYSE before filing for Chapter 11 protection in 2018.

  Source

• 2013

  Divestiture of the Portamedic service lineM&A

  Background

  Portamedic was a central part of Hooper Holmes's historical insurance-examination business, but the company later sold the service line as it changed the scope of its operations.

  Action taken

  Hooper Holmes sold Portamedic to American Para Professional Systems, Inc.

  Aftermath

  The transaction removed a major insurance examination operation from Hooper Holmes's directly owned portfolio.

  Source

1. 1Hooper Holmesen.wikipedia.org