Avēsis
Avēsis is a Phoenix-based specialty benefits administrator and wholly owned Guardian Life subsidiary that administers dental, vision, hearing, and wellness programs for Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and employer group customers across multiple US states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersPhoenix, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Avēsis does
Avēsis is a specialty benefits administration platform that administers dental, vision, hearing, and wellness programs for government-sponsored and commercial health plans. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, the company operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. It serves Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and employer group customers primarily as a subcontractor to Managed Care Organizations and state Medicaid agencies, with active operations across Kentucky, California, and Utah. Named customers include Kentucky Medicaid Managed Care Organizations and Aetna Better Health of Kentucky.
The company's core technology consists of a specialty benefits administration platform comprising a member portal, provider locator, and provider credentialing system. Product offerings include Dental Benefits, Vision Plans, Complete Specialty (wellness, prevention, nutrition, and meal delivery services), and Innovative Healthcare (precision health benefits). Sub-brands include Premier Access (California and Utah HMO plans) and Access Dental (California dental plans), with secureADVANTAGE as a supplemental gap policy add-on. Commercial vision products are underwritten by Avēsis, Guardian, Fidelity Security Life Insurance Company, and National Guardian Life Insurance Company.
Avēsis generates revenue through subscription/recurring administrative fees, managed services for government program administration, and premium-based arrangements. Pricing is quote-based and varies by customer segment. Go-to-market operates through direct enterprise sales to government agencies and MCOs, broker networks for employer group sales, and self-serve member portals. The company holds a Chief Medical Officer (Joshua Sclar) and Chief Technology Officer (Steve Gearhart), with 251-500 employees total. Strategic partnerships include SmileMD (in-office dental anesthesia), Amplifon (hearing care), and QualSight (LASIK vision correction).
Avēsis firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Avēsis
- Legal name
- Avēsis Incorporated
- Website
- https://avesis.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Avēsis is a Phoenix-based specialty benefits administrator and wholly owned Guardian Life subsidiary that administers dental, vision, hearing, and wellness programs for Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and employer group customers across multiple US states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Avēsis industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Dental and Vision Benefits Administration
- NAICS
- Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251), Health and Welfare Funds (525120)
- SIC
- Hospital & Medical Service Plans (6324), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Medicaid/CHIP Dental & Vision Benefits Administration (FSAIAHAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Healthcare-Linked Social Benefits Administration (e.g., Medicaid/Means-Tested Health Coverage) (BPAIAKAH), Medicare Dental & Vision (MA Embedded & Supplemental) (FSAIAHAJ)
Keywords
Where Avēsis is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Phoenix
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Avēsis business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Specialty Benefits Administration: Administration of dental, vision, and wellness benefit programs for government (Medicaid/Medicare) and commercial (employer groups) customers. Revenue generated through administrative fees and premium-based arrangements with MCOs and plan sponsors.
- Government Program Administration: Administering Medicaid, CHIP, and Medicare Advantage dental, eye care and hearing programs as a subcontractor to Medicaid and Medicare Managed Care Organizations.
- Commercial Vision Products: Marketing and administering commercial vision products underwritten and issued by Avēsis, Guardian, Fidelity Security Life Insurance Company, and National Guardian Life Insurance Company.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Custom enterprise and government pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Avēsis product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Avēsis administers specialty healthcare benefits — primarily dental, vision, hearing, and wellness programs — for government programs (Medicaid, CHIP, Medicare Advantage) as a subcontractor to Managed Care Organizations, and for employer groups and commercial plan sponsors. The company operates member and provider portals, credentialed provider networks, and case-management programs, and markets commercial vision products underwritten by itself and partner carriers such as Guardian, Fidelity Security Life, and National Guardian Life.
Product overview
Avēsis is a specialty benefits platform offering a portfolio of dental, vision, and wellness products. The core offering consists of Dental Benefits and Vision Plans, which provide flexible, accessible oral and eye health coverage through tailored network solutions. These are complemented by Complete Specialty (wellness, prevention, nutrition, and meal delivery services) and Innovative Healthcare (precision health and wellbeing benefits). The company operates sub-brands Premier Access and Access Dental for government-sponsored HMOs, and offers secureADVANTAGE as a supplemental gap policy add-on. Products are delivered through member portals and provider networks serving Medicaid, Medicare, and employer group segments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Premier Access: HMO dental and vision plan offerings, including Premier Access of Utah
- Access Dental
- Premier Access of Utah
- Access Dental Plan of California
Products and services
- Dental Benefits Oral health benefits that are flexible, affordable, and focused on outcomes, providing accessible quality dental care through tailored network and product solutions for members served via Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and employer-sponsored programs.
- Vision Plans Vision plans that connect eye health and overall health to improve outcomes, reduce cost, and increase access, offering products and networks designed for easy access to whole-eye care for government and commercial members.
- Complete Specialty A complete set of wellness, prevention, nutrition, and meal delivery services designed around an innovative ancillary product platform addressing members' whole health and wellness needs.
- Innovative Healthcare Transformational precision health and wellbeing benefits grounded in consumer design principles, tailored interventions, and core capabilities designed to best service clients and members.
- Premier Access HMO plans offering government-sponsored specialty benefits including dental, vision, and hearing coverage, including Premier Access of Utah and State of California offerings.
- Access Dental Dental benefit plans including Access Dental Plan of California, providing dental coverage options for members in government-sponsored programs.
- secureADVANTAGE Supplemental gap policies marketed by Avēsis, underwritten by Fidelity Security Life Insurance Company, and administered by Special Insurance Services, Inc., providing supplemental dental/vision gap coverage.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced opioid overprescribing by 91% in six months through pain management program with Aetna Better Health of Kentucky
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Avēsis
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Avēsis technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Avēsis partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- SmileMDcoreAvēsis partners with SmileMD to offer in-office general anesthesia services for dental procedures in managed care organizations. This partnership provides members with access to sedation dentistry services, addressing dental anxiety and enabling complex procedures to be performed in office settings.
- Aetna Better Health of KentuckycoreAvēsis partnered with Aetna Better Health of Kentucky on an innovative pain management program that reduced opioid overprescribing among dental providers by 91% in six months. This program addresses the opioid crisis while maintaining effective pain management for patients.
- Kentucky Medicaid Managed Care OrganizationscoreAvēsis partnered with Kentucky's Medicaid managed care organizations to bring school-based dental care to children across Kentucky, helping thousands of children access the dental care they need through their Medicaid benefits.
- Guardian Life Insurance Company of AmericacoreAvēsis Incorporated and Avēsis Third Party Administrators, Inc. are wholly owned subsidiaries of Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, headquartered in New York, NY. Guardian provides financial backing and brand affiliation.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Avēsis competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DentaQuest: DentaQuest is one of the largest Medicaid and CHIP dental benefits administrators in the US, administering specialty dental programs for state Medicaid agencies and MCOs. Directly comparable to Avēsis's government dental administration business in customer base, product, and delivery model.
- Liberty Dental Plan: Liberty Dental Plan administers Medicaid and Medicare dental benefits through contracts with state Medicaid agencies and health plans. Closely comparable to Avēsis's Medicaid/Medicare dental administration operating model and government customer base.
- Careington International: Careington International provides dental, vision, hearing, and wellness benefit plans through employer groups, brokers, and association clients. Comparable to Avēsis on broker-channel distribution and ancillary specialty benefits administration.
Broad incumbents
- Delta Dental: Delta Dental is the largest US dental benefits carrier, serving commercial, government, and individual markets across all 50 states. Comparable to Avēsis on product (dental benefits administration) but broader in scale and geography.
- VSP Vision Care: VSP is the largest US vision benefits company, providing vision insurance to commercial and government clients through employer groups and health plan partnerships. Directly comparable to Avēsis's vision administration business and sub-brands like Premier Access.
- EyeMed Vision Care: EyeMed, owned by EssilorLuxottica, is a major US vision benefits carrier serving employer groups, health plans, and government programs. Comparable to Avēsis on vision benefits administration and member portal offerings.
- UnitedHealthcare Dental & Vision: UnitedHealthcare offers employer-sponsored and Medicare Advantage dental and vision plans nationally as part of its broader health insurance portfolio. Comparable product overlap with Avēsis, especially within Medicare Advantage, but with significantly larger geographic reach and captive distribution.
- Humana Dental & Vision: Humana offers dental, vision, and hearing benefits as part of its Medicare Advantage and individual insurance portfolio. Directly comparable in dental/vision administration capability and overlap with Avēsis's Medicare Advantage business.
Others
- Guardian Life Insurance Company of America: Guardian is Avēsis's parent company and a major US insurer offering dental, vision, disability, and life insurance to employer groups. Comparable product set but operates at much larger scale and through direct employer distribution.
Emerging players
- Solstice Benefits: Solstice Benefits administers dental, vision, and other ancillary benefits for employer groups and individuals through broker distribution. Comparable to Avēsis's commercial vision and employer-group administration business at smaller scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Avēsis social profiles
Digital presenceAvēsis financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Avēsis leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Avēsis subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Avēsis funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Avēsis M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Avēsis
What does Avēsis do?
Avēsis administers specialty healthcare benefits — primarily dental, vision, hearing, and wellness programs — for government programs (Medicaid, CHIP, Medicare Advantage) as a subcontractor to Managed Care Organizations, and for employer groups and commercial plan sponsors. The company operates member and provider portals, credentialed provider networks, and case-management programs, and markets commercial vision products underwritten by itself and partner carriers such as Guardian, Fidelity Security Life, and National Guardian Life.
Is Avēsis a public or private company?
Avēsis is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Avēsis founded?
Avēsis was founded in 1983. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Avēsis based?
Avēsis is headquartered in Phoenix, United States, in the North America region.
How does Avēsis make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Specialty Benefits Administration is the primary driver. The others are government Program Administration and commercial Vision Products.
Who are Avēsis's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DentaQuest, Liberty Dental Plan and Careington International. Broad incumbents are Delta Dental, VSP Vision Care, EyeMed Vision Care, UnitedHealthcare Dental & Vision and Humana Dental & Vision. Guardian Life Insurance Company of America is listed as an others. Solstice Benefits is listed as an emerging player.
Does Avēsis have an API?
No public API is recorded for Avēsis.
What industry is Avēsis in?
Avēsis's product category is Dental and Vision Benefits Administration. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAIAHAK, Medicaid/CHIP Dental & Vision Benefits Administration, with a secondary code of BPAIAKAH, Healthcare-Linked Social Benefits Administration (e.g., Medicaid/Means-Tested Health Coverage). Its NAICS code is 5251 and its SIC code is 6324.